Sowing the SEADs of Success
From the Assistant Principal: Wellbeing & Engagement
Formal
Year 11 & 12 Formal is taking place this Saturday night at the Adelaide Convention Centre and we are looking forward to a fun and entertaining evening. The Formal provides an opportunity for students to demonstrate the SEAD values of ‘friendships’ and ‘relationships’ . The Year 11 & 12 students will enjoy celebrating others within the College with the theme 'Mamma Mia'. It also provides the opportunity to develop social skills to enable the cultivation of strong and healthy relationships. The girls and staff attending are very excited to celebrate in style this Saturday night.
SEAD Leadership Mentoring
This week our Junior School leaders had the opportunity to join our Student Executive for their weekly meeting to discuss leadership initiatives across the whole College. The Junior Leaders enjoyed the chance to learn from the Student Executive about creating an agenda, sharing ideas and listening to a range of points of view. They were able to use their creativity to come up with some exciting initiatives that will be publicised in the near future. The Year 12’s commented on the maturity and enthusiasm that the Junior Leaders brought to the discussions and were excited for this to become more commonplace into the near future.
Gym Available for Indoor Play During Term 2 and 3 Lunchtime
Our double court-sized gym will now be able to be used for ball games and net games each lunchtime. The importance of physical health as part of our overall wellbeing cannot be over-stated with University of South Australia researchers finding, “physical activity is extremely beneficial for improving symptoms of depression, anxiety, and distress.” It is inherent on us as a College to provide spaces and resources that enable and enthuse students to take part in physical activity regularly. The gym is one such space that can allow unstructured play at lunchtimes, encouraging fun and engaging social interactions, whilst unknowingly developing physical literacy and often physical fitness.
Year 8 Camp
The Year 8’s travelled to Douglas Scrub, McClaren Flat for their four-day outdoor education camp this week. This camp provides the girls with an ability to increase their outdoor knowledge and take risks within a safe and supportive environment. The girls will have many opportunities to learn from each other and from the environment around them, developing skills that will hold them in good stead for Year 9 camp and beyond.
Camp is always a great time for our students to reach beyond their comfort zone and start to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. We know this is where the most growth occurs, but it is also where we can learn compassion as we begin to understand the feelings of others. Being detached and unplugged from technology is also a very important aspect of camp. Camps provide girls with the opportunity to assess risky situations in a safe environment. These skills can only be developed by putting oneself in unfamiliar environments.
Rock climbing, abseiling, bike riding and hiking are all wonderful challenging experiences and lifelong memories are created.
"If you don't challenge yourself you will never realize what you can become"
I would like to extend my thanks to the awesome staff led by Ms Lydia Baccanello and the SEAD team including Ms Jo Porrovecchio, Ms Kate Innes, Ms Anne-Marie Tippins, and Ms Katherine Kostas. I was lucky enough to share a meal with the group on Thursday night and enjoyed listening to camp stories, watching smiles (and somewhat tired eyes). The room was buzzing with positive energy and laughter.
I would also like to extend my gratitude to Alice Gralijuk our College Nurse who ensures all camps and daily excursions are well supported with first aid requirements and specific medical supplies. Alice works closely with families and students alike to provide support and care.
Generations in Jazz
Congratulations to our amazing young musicians with the assistance of Mr Tim de Jong Ms Lisa Schulz and, Vocal Coach, Stacey. The results below show the outstanding commitment to practice over the last 12 months to be able to place in this national competition. You can read more about the girls' time at the event on the Senior School page.
Senior Vocal Quintet: FIRST PLACE - 'Division 1 Small Group’
Senior Vocal Ensemble 1: FOURTH PLACE - ‘Division 2 Large Ensemble’
Senior Vocal Ensemble 2: SECOND PLACE - ‘Division 3 Large Ensemble’
Uniform
Please ensure you support the College Uniform Policy by checking the length of your daughter(s) winter hem. It must be at the knee for senior girls. Email communication will be sent home and uniform breach reports will be made if students are not supporting the College uniform.
Boarders' Week - Week 3
Next week we celebrate National Boarders week - please see the flyer attached.
Scarlett Pearce, Head Boarder, and Deputy Head Boarder, Bec Lehmann, spoke at both Junior and Senior School assemblies. Scarlett discussed the complexities around living away from home, homesickness, loving sisterhood and the wonderful staff.
Please note dress-up day is Friday 19 May and the theme is My Community, My Clothes - e.g. Sport team, CFS, St Johns, Surf life saving. There is a Gold coin donation for charity "Do it for Dolly".
Have a beautiful week!
Ms Emma Searle
Assistant Principal: Wellbeing and Engagement
SEAD Across the College
Last night the College’s Psychological Service hosted the first Parent Mental Health Forum for the year ‘Navigating Your Teens Mental Health (Years 7 to 12)’ with Anne Schwartz from Black Dog Institute.
Anne provided information about the adolescent brain and development, the signs, symptoms, causes and treatment of depression and anxiety disorders, whilst interweaving her and Adam’s story. Her presentation also gave practical tips of what to do and what not to do when supporting your young person.
The night was a success and as Anne is a volunteer for Black Dog Institute a donation will be made from Loreto College, Marryatville.
Thank you to parents, carers and staff who attended, and feedback is always welcome. Thank you also to Dr Archard for her support of this initiative and to Brittany Warren for her work in promoting this event.
Our next Parent Mental Health Seminar is ‘Body Confident Children and Teens (Years R to 12)’ with Rachel Soderstrom from the Butterfly Foundation.
When: Wednesday 21 June, 5.30pm-7pm.
Where: Performing Arts Centre.
Please register at https://events.humanitix.com/loreto-body-confident-seminar
If you have any concerns about the wellbeing of your child, please contact your daughter’s ELC Educator, Classroom Teacher, or Head of Junior School and Early Learning Centre, or the relevant Leader of Student Wellbeing and Academic Care, or Mentor/Subject Teacher in the Senior School. You also are encouraged to seek medical or professional help.
Monica Bignold
Lead College Psychologist R-12
Life in Boarding
Happy Term 2! What a fast-paced start we have had, preparing ourselves for Year 11 & 12 Formal and Boarders' week.
We returned from holidays refreshed and ready to go. Upon the girls return, they were greeted to our very own fire pit area, placed in our common outdoor space. It looks spectacular with an Indigenous feel, with native plants and features. We can't wait to have our first fire of the cold season. I am sure it will be well used and loved with frequent marshmallow and smore cook ups, yarns, sing-a-longs and meetings. A very welcome addition, and one I am sure we will all cherish for years to come. A big thank you do Joel Elliot from Oxigen for all your hard work.
Mrs Tia Wiese
Director of Boarding
Reminder: Flu Season
Just a friendly reminder with cold and flu season commencing. If your daughter has any cold and flu symptoms please keep her home until these symptoms have resolved. Thank you for helping reduce the spread this winter season.
Ms Alice Graljuk
College Nurse