From the Junior School

From the Head of Junior School

Today we celebrated our love of reading with a shared reading hour to support Australian Reading Hour. A huge shout out to our amazing library team, Mrs Josephine Laretive, Mrs Martha Itzcovitz, Mrs Sarah Colquhoun and Mrs Stephanie Recchia, for leading this experience for our Junior School girls. During that hour, which we called ‘Literature on the Lawn’, each girl and staff member sat and enjoyed immersing themselves in a book. I was lucky enough to read Alpacas with Maracas by Matt Cosgrove to Year 1. We had members of the Executive reading to the girls including Deputy Principal, Ms Lamia Rockwell sharing a French story, Reverend Lorenzo Rodriguez Torres sharing a Spanish story and many others.

As we spotlight on the joy and power of literature this week, I am delighted to share a video created by Madame Claire Wall, Mrs Anna To, Señora Michelle Belle, Mr Jake Turnbull and me to celebrate the richness of diversity of language in our Junior School and to help our girls build their understanding of the many different feelings we all have in any one day. Please click on this link to enjoy this video reading of The Colour Monster by Anna Llenas.

As we continue our focus on being kind to ourselves, I am keen to work with you, and our girls, to foster their sense of personal strength. Over the last week, I have heard some of our amazing girls begin to question themselves and I am keen to work in partnership with you to ensure each of our girls celebrates who she is, how she looks, and how she learns.

Celebrating self to build flourishing learners

Each of us are different; unless we are an identical twin. We look different to everyone else, we have different family stories, different ways of thinking, different strengths and different areas for growth. Comparing ourselves to others can be very negative to our personal growth.

Self-esteem and positive body image are strengths we want to equip our girls with. Sometimes girls question themselves and compare themselves to others and do so with a critical voice about themselves. It’s important we help our girls speak to themselves with a kind voice to themselves, particularly about their physical appearance.

Our bodies are amazing! We can all do phenomenal things with our bodies, things we often take for granted and forget to be grateful for. I am tall, which means I can often reach things on high shelves that others can’t. Having long legs means I can walk quickly around the campus to connect with lots of people in any one day. Yet as a child I often hated being tall and wanted to be petite like my close friend, Amanda…who wanted to be tall like me!

This week a group of Year 6 girls will share ideas at our K-2 assembly to showcase the things about their bodies that are strong and therefore something they celebrate. Thank you to Molly Hardiman, Olivia Hicks-Duncombe, Marley Titley, Selina Jiang and Jessica Pickford for being relationship leaders and sharing your thoughts and helping to teach our kindness messages with our K-2 girls in their assemblies. This week these girls will share these messages about their amazing selves as we focus on body celebration in our assembly:

As parents, carers and educators we are powerful role models for our girls and so it’s important we model the skills, strengths and self worth we want to build in our girls. As a child, I remember being told at school that I was a ‘good girl’ or, on perhaps too frequent occasions, that I was a ‘naughty girl’ when I did something my teachers were not happy with! Perhaps you remember similar comments from your childhood or schooling? Whilst these comments may seem insignificant to us as adults, comments like this can sit deeply within a child’s heart and impact the way she sees herself and feels about herself. A child who doesn’t see her worth is unlikely to connect fully with her learning. She is unlikely to want to take risks in her learning and this will impact her ability to succeed as a learner.

Within our Junior School we focus on labelling a child’s behaviour choices as positive or negative, rather than labelling the child herself. Instead of labelling a child as bad or naughty when they do or say something we feel is wrong – a less harmful approach is to help a child understand they are always valued and loveable but sometimes they make bad choices, use inappropriate words or engage in inappropriate behaviours.

Perhaps as a child, when your parents were upset with your behaviour you may have heard them say words like “what’s the matter with you?”, “will you ever learn?” when you made a mistake or forgot to bring home all your uniform. Judgments and criticisms like these can harm a child’s sense of self-worth and self-esteem. Children may feel that they are only worthy of love, conditional upon what they know, how they behave and what they say. When children feel that they have to ‘earn’ the right to be loved or to be worthy, then they don’t feel valued for who they are. When children don’t feel worthy as themselves, they tend to look outside themselves to find their value and can look for external praise, find it difficult to receive feedback without taking it personally and even find themselves engaging in negative self-talk like “I’m stupid…I’m worthless” – which further harms self-esteem.

How to Nurture Healthy Self-Esteem

Last weekend I read some practical articles written by Dr Rosina McAlpine, international researcher, educator and founder of the Win Win Parenting program. Dr McAlpine talks about the many ways to help your children develop healthy self-esteem which include:

Role-modelling good self-esteem by having unconditional care, respect and love for yourself and your child and saying positive things about yourself out loud so your child learns to do the same for herself.

Instead of encouraging your child to looking for praise and comparing herself to others, encouraging your child to look inside for their self-worth.

Avoid making hurtful and judgmental statements when frustrated by your daughter’s behaviour choices.

Questioning your child’s negative self-talk and help them to replace it with positive self-talk; explaining that making mistakes is simply part of the learning process as we grow up.

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

Academic Opportunities

Throughout the year there will be opportunities for our Junior School girls to participate in various opportunities and competitions. They may have an academic focus, encourage passions and interests or develop leadership skills and may involve a whole year group or a small group of students. Set out below are some of the current opportunities for the girls.

OzKidsinPrint – Years K-6

Calling all budding writers, poets and artists who would like to see their work published!

K-6 girls are invited to submit short stories, artwork or poetry as part of the OzKids in Print Competition. Student work may be chosen to be printed in the OzKids magazine throughout the year or selected as an overall winner. Entries close September 2023. For more information please visit: https://ozkids.com.au Girls are asked to submit work to Mrs Lara Bird, Deputy Head of Junior School –Academics, who will upload work on behalf of students.

National History Challenge – Years 4-6

The National History Challenge is a research based competition for Australian students. The 2023 theme for the challenge is “Change and Continuity”. There are 8 special categories students can enter: Australia’s Wartime Experiences, Democracy Matters, History of Sport, Indigenous History, Australian Women’s History, Using Primary Sources, Asia and Australia and Museum Exhibit. The theme “Change and Continuity” needs to be incorporated in the special category entry.

Entries are to be submitted online before 25 August 2023. If your daughter is interested in undertaking research work as a historian, please email Lara Bird, Deputy Head of Junior School – Academics at lbird@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au

Around the Grounds: Kindergarten to Year 3 – Mrs Kate Giles, Lead Co-ordinator K-3

In Mathematics this week in Kindergarten to Year 2 the girls have been exploring combining and separating quantities. Lessons start with a fun number warm up such as choral counting, skip counting or games like dice champion designed to build number sense and confidence in Mathematics so the girls are happy to take risks and have a go in their learning.

Kindergarten

This week Kindergarten have been exploring combining quantities. They have been asking the question ‘what is addition’ and then putting together groups of objects to count them. The girls loved finding their own different items to combine and add together like counters, pom poms, animals and even playdough.

“My favourite thing in maths is counting.” – Eliza

“I like Maths because numbers are fun. I love counting and playing warm up games like snap.” – Ava

“I love doing numbers because it is very challenging. My favourite thing is working out a missing number.” – Claudia

Year 1

Year 1 have been focusing on separating quantities with subtraction. They have been using concrete materials such as dice and counters to make numbers, used known facts such as friends of 10 to solve problems and using a number line to subtract smaller numbers from larger numbers.

“I love Mathematics because I like counting to high numbers. I learned that I can count to 2000!” – Charlotte

” I like making mistakes in Maths because that is how I learn and get better.” – Penelope

“I loved doing the spicy challenges in Maths. I now know my friends of 20.”- Grace

“My favourite thing in Maths this week was adding and subtracting using counters as they helped me and were fun.” – Evelyn

Year 2

This week Year 2 have been building on their friends of ten understanding from Year 1 and exploring friends of 20. They have used a variety of different strategies to solve both addition and subtraction problems such as their understanding of fact families and turnaround facts. They have grown their skills and understanding of the jump strategy to add and subtract larger numbers on a number line and the split strategy, using their understanding of place value to add and subtract.

Year 3

Year 3 have focused on multiplication and division, using different strategies such as doubling, halving and creating arrays to solve multiplication problems. The girls have enjoyed challenging themselves to explain their thinking and reasoning when given a number of counters and finding the number of different equal groups they could and explaining the difference between 3 rows of 4 and 4 rows of 3 in an array.

“Maths is all around you, no matter what. You can find maths in telling the time, cooking and I love measuring things.” – Sienna

“I love practising my turnaround facts with Division and Multiplication as I know I am getting better.”- Olivia

“My favourite thing in maths is playing fun games that help us learn like dice champion.” – Jianing

Around the Grounds: Years 4 to 6 – Mrs Jayne Mercer, Lead Co-ordinator 4-6

Year 4

Over the last two weeks, Year 4 have been focusing on the topics of addition and subtraction, in particular looking at the mental strategies that can be used to quickly solve problems. They have looked at strategies such as bridging to 10, using facts about doubles and near doubles as well as the jump and split strategies. Using this knowledge they then applied their understanding to real life word problems, including problems using money.

“I like addition and working with measurement because it shows me how to use math in every day life.” – Mia

“I like to count money and work out the change because I can use it at the shops and it helps me to problem solve.” – Stephanie

“I like how Maths stretches my brain and challenges me. I enjoy working I groups, doing puzzle and the number warm up games.” – Divangi

Year 5

Last week Year 5 looked at the concept of measuring area, starting off their week with some puzzles in pairs from YouCubed – folding paper to change area sizes and justifying their choices to their partner. Moving on, students investigated the relationship between square metres and hectares before finishing up applying their understanding to a real world problem like designing a garden bed or resurfacing a school tennis court.

“Maths challenges me to think beyond what I already know and open myself up to understand what problems mean and how to work through them without being scared to solve a problem and get it wrong. In Mathematics it’s all about making mistakes and looking back through your work.” – Sarah

“I enjoy playing math games and I also like doing the maths starters because they are so fun and challenging.” – Mandy

“I like multiplication and decimals and I like maths because it works your brain.” – Peaches

Year 6

Daily warm up activities and games on ‘number sense’ have given students the opportunity to explore numbers, recognise patterns and make predictions. Over the last couple of weeks, the areas of whole number and addition and subtraction have been the focus for Year 6. Students have spent time looking at the importance of rounding numbers, calculating factors and multiples, identifying prime and composite numbers as well as the significance of the value of zero in a number.

Sustainability Club – Clean Up Australia (Pymble) Day!

On Friday 3 March, the Junior School Sustainability Club students from Years 1 to 6 stepped up to clean up for Clean Up Australia Day. These keen environmentalists spread out over the Pymble campus to help make our school environment free of rubbish. A successful day was had, with the girls inspired to clean up more areas around our community and organise for the whole Junior School to be involved next time. The Sustainability Club’s next initiative is to help improve our surroundings with an art competition to decorate the fencing around the construction site and a campaign to reduce food waste at school.

HARK Refugee Clinic

As part of the College focus on service, we will be supporting HARK Refugee Clinic at the Children’s Hospital Westmead. We are seeking donations of new stationery items to assist students at school. This could include lead or coloured pencils, pencil cases, pens, textas, exercise books, scissors and other small stationery items. These items can be brought to school by your daughter or dropped at the Junior School offices. If you have any questions, please email kgiles@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au. We thank you for helping support this initiative.

PJ Factor – Years 3-6 **CHANGE OF DATE **

In 2023, the annual Junior School PJ Factor will be held in Term 4 and will be in a different format. As part of the College Let’s Get Creative Day, students will have the opportunity to showcase their talents and skills for their peers. Dates and further information will be communicated to students in their Junior School PA/ Music lessons and via the College Newsletter.

Car line

Parents are reminded that parking along the LOWER Road is not permitted at any time. It is really important that we work together in our carline processes to ensure your daughters are safe. Please click on this carline safety video link

Please be aware that girls arriving before 7.45am must attend Out of School Hours Care.

Please do not arrive before 2.30pm in the afternoon. Girls are escorted to car line after the conclusion of the school day at 2.45pm (K-2) and 3.00pm (Years 3-6). Parents are reminded to remain in their car for the safety of both girls and adults and to assist with traffic flow. If you are delayed in collecting your daughter, she will be taken to Out of School Hours Care until your arrival.

Uniform and Appearance

All students are expected to wear their uniform correctly and with pride. Uniforms cannot be mixed with each season. Junior School has a strict ‘no hat no play policy’, please ensure your daughter has her bucket play hat at school every day. Please make sure that your daughter’s uniform is named.

Absent, Late Arrivals/Early Departures, Vacation

A reminder if you daughter is absent from school please enter your daughters absence through the MyPymble App or email Junior School Administration Office juniorschool@pymblelc.nsw.edu.au . For any changes to your daughter’s travel, late/early arrivals please email the Administration Office.

Exemption from Attendance Application form can found on the portal, please ensure if your daughters is away for two days or more to complete the application form two weeks in advance from the start of your daughter’s absence.

Lost Property

Please ensure your daughters full name is clearly labelled on all items of clothing including socks, hats and lunch items so it can be quickly returned to your daughter if it is found.