Myrniong

INDEPENDENT STUDY DAY - FRIDAY 26 MAY

A reminder that this Friday has been designated an independent study day for all Junior and Senior School students. A funeral is being held at 10am in the Simons Auditorium at Senior Campus for a much loved Old Collegian and family member of a College staff member.

School work will be sent home today with students. The majority of Junior School teachers will be available via email between 9.00 am and 9.45 am and after 1.00 pm if parents have any questions or concerns. We can supervise a limited number of students at Myrniong. Please email admin@hamiltoncollege.vic.edu.au if you require your child/ren to attend school on Friday.

The Early Learning Centre will be open and running as normal for our Piccino group. Before School Care will be available as per normal from 8am, however After School Care will not operate on Friday.

YOUNG HOUSE SERVICE AND ‘CRAZY HAIR DAY’

Congratulations to Young House students and teachers on a wonderful House Service on Tuesday. Their theme of resilience was well researched and presented. There were many highlights including the telling of the story ‘How to Catch A Star’, thoughtful bible readings, considerate resilience quotes and touching personal stories. Rev. Peter Cook was the guest speaker. He shared a lovely saying his mother instilled in his family as they were growing up - ‘Good, better, best. Never let it rest, until your good is better, and your better best.’ Thank you also to our Junior School Chamber Singers for their lovely performance of ‘Amazing Grace’.

Next Friday, June 2nd, Young House will be holding a ‘Crazy Hair Day’ fundraiser to support the Leukemia Foundation. Students can have some fun and decorate their hair for a great cause. We are asking for a $2 coin donation.

COVID 19

Presently, there are active COVID 19 cases in our local community, and we ask Myrniong families to be vigilant. A testing kit will be sent home with all students this week for use if symptoms appear in your household. Should someone present as a positive case at home, we ask students from the family to wear masks whilst attending Junior School.

RECONCILIATION WEEK 2023

27 May to 3 June is Reconciliation Week. It is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to a better Australia. The theme for 2023 is ‘Be a Voice For Generations.’

The Australian Curriculum has several cross-curricular priorities that teachers use when planning units of work. One is Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander History and Culture. There are two distinct needs:

That Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students are able to see themselves, their identities and their cultures reflected in the curriculum of each of the learning areas, can fully participate in the curriculum and can build their self-esteem.
That the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures cross-curriculum priority is designed for all students to engage in reconciliation, respect and recognition of the world’s oldest continuous living cultures.

We commence our Junior School Assemblies with the following Acknowledgement of Country.

We acknowledge the traditional owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. We live on Gunditjmara land and feel blessed that our homes and school are in such a beautiful part of Australia.

YEAR 6 CANBERRA EXPERIENCE

Our Year 6 students head off early on Monday morning for their Canberra Experience. We will be spending four days in the national capital, visiting Parliament House, the Mint, Australian War Memorial, the Australian Institute of Sport, National Art Gallery, National Capital Exhibition Centre and the National Museum of Australia.

The Australian Government recognises the importance of all young Australians being able to visit the national capital as part of their Civics and Citizenship education. To assist families in meeting the cost of the excursion the Australian Government is contributing funding of $45 per student under the Parliament and Civics Education Rebate program towards those costs. The rebate is paid directly to the school upon completion of the excursion. I know our Junior School leaders are excited about their time away in Canberra.

CHINESE LANGUAGE TALENT COMPETITION

Congratulations to Junior School students Angus Reid, Maelys Haynes and Kirav Patel who won the Best Participation Award in the recent Victorian Primary Schools Chinese Talent Competition. The students submitted a two-minute oral presentation relating to the learning of Chinese and a three-minute cultural performance of a play, song or story.

HOCKEY

Congratulations to all Junior School students who competed in the Under 13s teams at last weekend’s Country Week Hockey Championships in Melbourne. The girls were crowned champions and the boys made the semi-finals, finishing the tournament a creditable third.

This weekend’s matches:

Division 5 Black Panthers v Demons - 1.30 pm at Pedrina Park

Tigers v Coleraine Maroon - 1.30 pm at Pedrina Park

Division 4 Wolves v Demons - 1.30 pm at College

Foxes v Coleraine - 3.30 pm at Pedrina Park

Stephen Nelson

Head of Junior School