From the Head of Junior School

Term 1 Review

As we enter the penultimate week of Term 1, it’s hard to believe that we are almost a quarter of the way through the school year itself! The past 10 weeks have simply flown by, and it has been incredibly pleasing to see the way in which the Junior School students have adjusted to their new environment in 2024; whether that be through joining the Pittwater House community for the first time as a member of our Pre-Kindergarten cohort, or by adapting to the various challenges which marked the beginning of their educational journey in a different year group.

The Junior School is an extremely busy place at the best of times and this term has certainly been no exception. The school year opened with a flurry of new students as many boys and girls across the Junior School eagerly wore their TPHS uniform for the first time. The summer sports season soon kicked off and various teams of students across Years 3-6 participated in either the external PISA competition, or the internal sports program (see 'Sport News' section in this edition of HouseNews). Various representative pathway sporting competitions were also held over the course of the term with students proudly representing the school. Year 6 enjoyed a fun-filled ‘team building’ day at Clifton Gardens, whilst our student leadership team benefitted from the opportunity to attend a unique leadership conference held at the ICC in Darling Harbour.

All parents were warmly invited to attend the Junior School as part of our Parent Information Evening sessions as they met their son’s/daughter's classroom teacher and got a sense of the student-centred learning environment our staff so wholeheartedly promote. The Junior School swimming carnival was held in mid-February and proved to be a fantastic opportunity for students to proudly represent their specific House and earn valuable points towards the overall House competition we have throughout the school.

Each week, our student leaders facilitated the Junior School assembly on a Friday, while the Pre-Kindergarten to Year 2 ‘Easter Hat Parade’ event was certainly an occasion not to be missed. During this time, our youngest members of the Junior School embraced the spirit of Easter by wearing a carefully-crafted hat, many of which had been meticulously made with some loving assistance from parents/guardians at home! 

Whilst I could make mention of many other highlights that our children have also experienced so far this year, ultimately, the students and their teachers have worked tirelessly throughout Term 1, often going above and beyond expectations and it is truly a privilege to be part of such a talented and dedicated community.

I would also like to express my heartfelt thanks for the many messages of support received from parents, who are truly grateful for the time and effort our staff contribute towards the ongoing needs of all students across the Junior School. The partnership between home and School is incredibly important to us and with the continual understanding of our parent community, all teachers will remain committed to ensuring students are always placed at the centre of our conversations. 

Harmony Day

The Junior School was recently a sea of orange on Thursday 21 March, as students and staff acknowledged Harmony Day. Celebrated annually, this day recognises our diversity as a country and reinforces the importance of accepting others in our community, regardless of their background. 

Students were challenged to learn a greeting in another language and enjoyed completing different activities in class which allowed them to better understand the unique backgrounds, family traditions and beliefs of their fellow peers. Many students were also involved in a truly special video which was created to highlight the wide variety of cultures that exist amongst students throughout the Junior School.

The need to both recognise and accept differences in others is an incredibly important one for our Junior School students to understand. Unfortunately, this can take time for some students to truly understand and primary-aged boys and girls don’t always demonstrate expected behaviour towards their peers at school. However, TPHS has no tolerance for behaviour that goes against respecting the individual rights of students to feel safe or respected at school, regardless of their cultural background and/or individual beliefs. 

Our Stage 3 students are the eldest members of the Junior School and are therefore asked to ensure that they lead by example at all times through their actions with others. Recently, our teaching staff has needed to remind some students, particularly in Years 5 and 6, about the way in which they are treating other students at school through their interactions, especially when on the playground during break times. All students are strongly encouraged to make positive choices when communicating with others, particularly when it comes to conflict resolution. Our teachers are always on-hand to assist students in problem solving situations as needed, so that matters can be dealt with swiftly before they escalate unnecessarily. Parental support in reinforcing the key messages mentioned above with all students at home is very much appreciated.   

Junior School Performing Arts Evening

On Thursday 20 June, beginning at 6pm, the Junior School will host its Performance Evening with all students across Kindergarten to Year 6 involved in the event in some capacity.

This is a significant showcase event on the School’s calendar and the theme for the evening this year is ‘Wonderland’. Please see the ‘Performing Arts’ section in this edition of HouseNews for more information about the 2024 Performance Evening.

Parents/guardians are asked to please email the Dance and Drama and Music departments using the following address: performingarts@tphs.nsw.edu.au should you have any questions related to this event. 

Kindergarten Buddy Mural

Both our JK and J6 classes have been busy working together as buddies to create a spectacular mural at school. The artwork took shape over different sessions spanning the course of five weeks and showcases the dedication to teamwork, creativity and communication that students displayed throughout the process. All girls came together each week to collaborate, explore and enjoy each other's company, fostering a friendly and encouraging atmosphere at all times.

Thank you very much to Miss McIndoe and Mrs Treloar for facilitating these sessions which both sets of students in Kindergarten and Year 6 were able to greatly benefit from this term.

Upcoming Events

Although the end of the term is in sight, there are still a number of events scheduled in the calendar prior to the holiday break. This Friday 5 April, is the Cross Country Carnival between 8.45am to 12.20pm on the main oval for all students in Years 3 to 6, as well as those children in Year 2 who are turning 8 years old this calendar year.

Then on Friday afternoon this week, during Periods 5 and 6, our ‘Jump Rope for Heart’ fundraising initiative draws to a close with an exciting ‘jump off’ event in our School playgrounds, before the top 10 student fundraisers will be announced to the Junior School students and staff before receiving a special certificate.

Finally, our annual ANZAC Day Service will be held in the Hall on Thursday 11 April, beginning at 1.45pm, and all Junior School parents/guardians are warmly invited to attend this special occasion as we duly honour those who served their country in times of war.

For further information about any of these particular events, please refer to the recent communication sent to parents by the School.

If you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me via email or phone and I will endeavour to assist you in any way that I can.

I would like to wish all members of our wonderful School community a very happy upcoming holiday period and I eagerly look forward to seeing our students return for the commencement of Term 2 on Tuesday 30 April.