Junior School 

Beyond Our School Gates 

I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our families and students for their incredible support of our St Jude’s Spellathon. Your generosity and enthusiasm have once again helped us raise awareness for this wonderful cause, embodying the true spirit of Christmas and giving. Over the past number of years, Kambala has contributed more than $118,000 to St Jude’s and we look forward to Gemma Sisia the founder, connecting with our students in March of 2025.  We congratulate Hawthorne House who is the winning house for the Spellathon. To celebrate, the victorious Hawthorne House Spellers from Kindergarten to Year 6 will enjoy a popcorn movie lunch in the MPR at lunchtime next Monday 9 December 2024.

A special thank you also goes to the Kambala community for your generous contributions to the Toys and Tucker appeal. These gifts will bring joy and hope to many families during the festive season. The collected toys will be taken to St Michael’s Church as part of our Kindergarten to Year 3 and Year 4 to Year 6 Christmas Church Services on Wednesday 10 December 2024. This annual tradition not only marks the season of giving but also highlights the strong connection between our school and the wider community.

As a friendly reminder, students attending the Christmas Church Services must wear their full summer uniform. Thank you for your continued support of these meaningful initiatives that extend the values of our school beyond its gates. Together, we are making a positive impact and spreading the true spirit of Christmas.

In the spirit of honesty this newsletter introduction was the one that I have used in previous years, but the words ring just as true for 2024. Reverend Jenni Stoddard -  who was the Chaplain at my previous school, Abbotsleigh -  in the past has shared this post on social media which resonated with my own educational journey and is an important piece of perspective at this time of year:

“HSC reveals superpowers of average. Looking through some old papers and reports, I came across my own final school report. It reported my position in the cohort for each class.  For most of my subjects I was in the middle.  I didn’t know it then but what I know now is being in the middle is a superpower.  I regularly dealt with disappointment; I worked hard without receiving public admiration.  I was given the perspective of seeing those who were achieving more than me and those who were struggling more than.  Today I am thankful to God for my averageness and what it does in me – I couldn’t see it when I was 17.  To all those middles who just sat exams, wait and watch as this could be the origin story to your superpower".

”Whilst we are champions of personal excellence at Kambala, it is important to acknowledge the progress made by every girl during each academic year and over the course of her educational journey".

A Sundial Reminder - Removal of Groups

As we approach 2025, a reminder to all parents that if your daughter is no longer part of a group (sport of music) for next year, you will need to remove yourself from that group, so you do not receive notifications in 2025.

Step 1: Log onto Sundial

Step 2: Select Groups - small ball icon top of navigation bar

Step 3: Select applicable group tile, click onto the 3 dots 

Step 4: Leave that group

Speech Day Information for Junior School Families - Wednesday 11 December, 2024 - 11.00am - 1.00pm, State Theatre, Sydney

It is an expectation that all Year 3 - 6 girls attend to celebrate the success of their peers.

UNIFORM

Year 3 - Year 6 Girls will need to wear their Panama hats and blazers when representing Kambala in the city (please note that all girls are asked to bring blazers, but they will not be worn if the weather is too warm). Sisters in Massie House attending are also expected to wear their school uniform (Massie Year 1 and 2 students should also wear their Panama hat when representing the school in the city).

PRIZES

Prizes will be announced to girls in Years 3 to 6 at our student assembly on Friday afternoon, 6 December 2024. An enveloped letter confirming the prize will also be sent home with girls who have been awarded prizes via their school diary that Friday afternoon.

On Speech Day, prize winners are to report to Ms Moore in the foyer of the State Theatre at 10.20am and will be ushered in to be seated on the ground floor.

SEATING AND STUDENT DROP-OFF

Year 3 - 6 Students 10.20am - 10.30am - All Year 3 to Year 6 students (who are not receiving prizes) are to meet their class teachers in the Pitt Street Mall outside Myer at 10.20am. Class teachers will be there with their respective class signs.Parents will then make their way to their seats which are located on the Dress Circle level of the State Theatre. PLEASE NOTE - specific seats have not been assigned. Massie students are to be seated with their parents for the ceremony.

10.40am - Once roll call is completed all Year 3 - 6 Junior School students will walk with their respective teachers from Pitt Street Mall to their seats which will be located on the Mezzanine level of the State Theatre.

1.15pm - Dismissal - We anticipate Speech Day to conclude by 1.15pm. Parents of students in Year 3 to Year 6 are to proceed to the Mezzanine level of the State Theatre to collect their daughter/s from their classroom teachers. Parents of prize winners in Years 3 - 6 are to proceed to the seats in the Stalls (on the bottom level) to collect their daughters from Ms Moore.

We look forward to celebrating the success of the girls on this very special day.

Mr Stuart Coppin

Deputy Principal - Head of Junior School 

Transition to Senior School - Art

As part of the transition to Senior School program, Year 6 students visited Art Studio 1 where they participated in a collagraph printmaking workshop, creating original compositions. The students developed their own creative interpretations of still life, landscape or portraiture, each producing a unique hand-made printing plate to strike colourful, semi-abstract images. 

They can now further develop their base monochromatic prints by working into the surface with watercolour, graphite or hand painted inks. A very big thank you to our Art Specialists - Drew Bickford, Georgia Kite, Kaylee Lim- for their enthusiasm and for sparking such keen interest in the girls.

Ms Ky-Lee Murphy

 Director of Curriculum

Junior STEM

This year saw a revamped Junior STEM Club running on Wednesday afternoons. Each week 26 young scientists and engineers completed a different project, or explored an interesting area of science.

While exploring electricity students-built batteries from potatoes to power digital clocks or assembled Snap Circuits to run fans, lights and even police sirens which the year 3 girls then used to arrest some senior students in the hallway.

While exploring forces students-built water rockets and tried to determine the optimal amount of water and air to launch their rockets. Parachute building contests saw Summer Gaos parachute design take home the gold while when building paddle pop catapults Abigail Ly and Jessica Morgans designs outshot everyone else's. When building hydraulic cranes, the combined forces of Freya Johnson and Mary Margaret Jabbour built faster than any other.

Robotics weeks saw students have a robot wrestling championship, follow racing tracks on the table or coding and uploading their own software programs. Other weeks our engineers went old school with classic Lego building.

Kambala got some brand new 3d printers this year, and our junior designers wasted no time in making keychains and gifts for parents and teachers. Hannah Guo blitz through the keychain activity and was able to print a personalised phone case. Later in the year while designing digital ghosts and spooky decorations for Halloween Rachel Zhang kindly printed me my own tombstone.

Putting on their food scientist caps students measured out the correct mass of citric acid and bicarbonate to make the best sherbet, while future cosmetic product designer Keira Kligman suggested we make our own lip balm by melting down various household ingredients and measuring volume.

Greenhouses were assembled for year-round growing of herbs, while on a hot term 4-day Jessica Keenan got to build a solar powered oven to roast up some marshmallows she had demanded all winter long.

Finally, the girls got to explore all kinds of gloopy slimy mess making non newtonian fluids, oobleek, ferrofluid and making bioplastics from both algae and milk. 

Junior STEM club is returning next year along with a Junior Lego Robotics club. For more information check the extracurricular page on Sundial or email Mr Goodwin.

Mr Mark Goodwin

Science

Junior School Recital

On the evening of Thursday 21 November, the lights dimmed, and the concert began. The many hours that the girls have put into their instrument finally paid off. As the performers sat nervously waiting for their time to shine, all the work they had put in to perform at this concert was worth it. Every single girl got up and performed her piece with strength and confidence, each performance was unique in its own way. From classical to baroque to jazz, each piece was played beautifully, showcasing the many talents of our Junior students.

The recital showcased many different varieties of instruments, from string to brass to woodwind and drums. We even got to hear four vocalists. The night was filled with notes dancing through the air as the music resonated around the room. Teachers and girls were in awe at every new performance and the parents were amazed with the courage of the performers. The night was even more special as Mr Coppin came and watched. We would like to thank the whole Music Department and especially our accompanist, Ms Mathieson. Overall, this was an unforgettable night and will be remembered for years to come!

Helen Le, Jolin Zhou and Jacinta Gerber

Junior Music Officers