From the Primary School

From the Primary School

Mothers’ Day Breakfast

It was so wonderful to be able to welcome so many Mothers, Grandmothers and significant female figures into the Primary School on Friday morning for our Mother’s Day Breakfast. Despite the winter chill in the air, we were joined by almost 200 people who enjoyed delicious treats for breakfast, playing games together on the playground, being pampered in the makeshift salon, and listening to a beautiful singing performance by our K-2 girls.

It was a very special morning, coming together as a school community on-site for the first time in a long time, and we thank everyone who was able to join us. A big thank you goes to Miss Woodcock for her help in organising the event.

Year 5 and 6 Camp

We are very excited to send both Year 5 and Year 6 to their Outdoor Education Camps next week, from Wednesday 18 to Friday 20 May. With activities such as abseiling, high ropes courses, canoeing, giant drops, mountain bike riding, and a flying fox, we know the girls will return with a greater sense of independence, responsibility, and achievement having challenged themselves and created memories that will last a lifetime. Both camps will be held in the Southern Highlands and we are keeping our fingers crossed for clear, warm weather so the girls can spend a night under the stars, enjoying a campfire and sleeping in tents!

A few reminders for those attending:

  • Equipment- Please refer to the Equipment List on page 3 of the permission note that has been sent home for support when packing. This can also be found on Seesaw.
  • Covid 19 Restrictions- We remind all families of the importance of staying at home and not attending camp. Should your daughter be a household contact of someone who has tested positive to COVID, she will, unfortunately, not be unable to attend camp.
  • RAHT Tests– To further ensure the safety of your daughter and others on the camp we ask she completes a RAHT test on the morning of camp.
  • Medication- If your daughter is to take any medication at camp, including things such as cough medicine, it is to be clearly labelled with written instructions and given to your daughter’s class teacher before leaving school on the day of the camp.
  • Drop off and collection times- please review below.
Year 5 Camp- Tallong
  • Wednesday 18 – arrive at school by 8:15am
  • Friday 20 – collection from Car Line at 3:10pm
Year 6 Camp- Attunga
  • Wednesday 18 – arrive at school by 7:10am
  • Friday 20 – collection from Bourke St at approximately 4:00pm

Should you have any further questions please contact your daughter’s class teacher of Miss Woodcock via email or through the Primary Office.

 

The Little Mermaid Stage 2 Musical

Over 100 girls in Stage 2 will feature in the Musical “The Little Mermaid” which will be held in the Great Hall on Wednesday, 18 May. This classic story explores the brave mermaid following her dream of adventure and of becoming a human. The story is complemented by an ocean full of fish puppets, jellyfish, mermaids, flamingos, crabs and sailors. The girls’ have made many of the props and costumes themselves.

It has been such a joy to be able to prepare this play and we are excitedly looking forward to performing for families and friends. We have also been very privileged to have Melissa Newell (Year 4 parents) add her magic drama and voice skills to the final weeks of rehearsals.

Climb aboard with us on Wednesday 18 May at 6:00pm in the Great Hall.

 

Dorothea Mackellar and WriteOn Competitions

This year, SCEGGS Primary is offering the girls the opportunity to participate in two writing competitions, WriteOn and The Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards.

These competitions provide purpose and an audience for writing along with an opportunity for the girls to apply the skills of writing learned in the classroom to a real-world context – winners become published authors!

WriteOn is an annual writing competition open to all NSW Primary School students in Years 1-6. It is run by the NSW Department of Education in association with The State Library. The competition involves the girls composing an imaginative text in response to a picture stimulus. The text may take many forms, a narrative, script, letter, poem or interview, and must not exceed 500 words. Each school is only able to submit one entry per stage. A panel of teachers will select the winning composition according to the criteria provided by the competition.

When assessing entries, teachers and the competition judges will use the following Success Criteria:

  • makes connections to the stimulus image
  • engages the audience in imaginative, interpretive, emotive and/or creative ways
  • maintains a consistent structure appropriate for the type of text selected
  • uses a range of stylistic devices for the intended audience
  • uses a variety of language forms and features, vocabulary and punctuation
  • considers the purpose, audience and context
  • includes age-appropriate content.

The Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Award is Australia’s longest running annual poetry competition and is also open for entries from our budding poets in the Primary School. In composing their text, the girls are encouraged to draw inspiration from the world around them. If they are looking for some guidance, this year’s theme is “In my Opinion.” Participants can submit up to 3 entries and group poems are also welcomed.

All girls interested in entering WriteOn and/or The Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards need to submit their texts no later than Friday, 10 June to Ms Kristy Williams.

For further information:

Go to https://dorothea.com.au/  to find out more about The Dorothea Mackellar Poetry Awards and to read past winning entries.

Go to https://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/about/events/writeon-competition to find out more about the WriteOn competition and to read past winning entries.

 

Helen Dempsey
Head of Primary