From the Head of Junior School
This week Mrs Spohr and I took a fabulous group of students to the Children's Kindness Convention. It was held at Pymble Ladies College and was a fabulous day. The children joined with others from nearly twenty different schools, and made lots of new friends. The children worked in groups and brainstormed ways to be kind to others and the planet.
I was so impressed with the genuine care that all of the children showed for the big issues that were on the table. This generation of children are thoughtful and empathetic, so concerned about helping others and the environment. The students from Blue Mountains Grammar School loved to work creatively with kids from other schools and they contributed great ideas! One of our students Max, was part of the group with the idea voted most likely to succeed!
Next term in our Assembly we’ll be delving deeper into the concept of Kindness. Our students are enjoying presenting assembly to their peers and their families – thank you for coming along! These assemblies give us the chance to all “talk the same language” and I’ve been impressed when I’ve heard even our youngest students telling me about what they’ve learned.
Mrs Rachael Newton
Assistant Principal - Head of Junior School
Children's Kindness Convention
On Wednesday, Mrs Newton and Mrs Spohr attended Pymble Ladies College with a selected team of Year 5 students. We had the honour of taking part in the annual Kindness Convention. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to be inspired by children their age who have raised money by being kind, showing empathy and thinking of others like ‘Fiver for a farmer’ and ‘Little Miss Bonsai’ project. We also heard from an ex-PLC student who started the initiative called ‘You Can Sit With Me’ aimed at promoting inclusion in schools globally. Our students were inspired by people who have taken simple ideas and have created a ripple effect in our communities.
During the day, our students were given the chance to be creative and collaborate with a team of students who solve real-world problems. Each group was a random selection of students from a variety of schools across Sydney.
All groups came up with some fabulous ideas around the topics of natural disasters, children’s mental health, water conservation and climate change topics. It was wonderful to see our students use critical and creative ideas as they problem solved. Maximilian and his group ‘Funds for floods’ won the popular choice award as it was the most thought out idea on the day. It was a fabulous day where our students showcased their ability to be kind in our world.
Mrs Amy Spohr
Stage 3 Teacher
Shrek Invades the Junior School!
The Junior School is a hive of activity this week with preparations for the 2023 Junior School Musical Production, Shrek Jr.
The production features performers from both Junior School campuses in Stage 2 and 3, retelling the classic story of Shrek, an ogre who has his home invaded by fairytale creatures at the order of Lord Farquaad. To regain the deed to his swamp, Shrek goes on an epic quest to rescue the beautiful Princess Fiona, with the help of his comedic companion, Donkey.
The show features a few favourite songs from the original Dreamwork’s animated film, along with an array of new songs.
Mr Forbes wears many hats as Director, Choreographer, Costume designer and Audio/Visual operator, while Mrs Julie Cooney serves as the productions Musical Director and accompanist.
To prepare for the production, Stage 3 Yarramundi have built and will operate an array of puppets including the fearsome dragon, the unlucky blue bird and an impressive cardboard horse. The production also features an array of beautifully designed masks made by the students and makeup provided by parents and Senior school students.
Shrek Jr has three performances over this weekend, with tickets almost sold out! Don’t miss your opportunity to see this larger than life production!
There are three shows remaining: Friday, 16th June at 6:00pm; Saturday 17th June at 1:00m and 6:00pm. Tickets available now via MyBMGS.
Mr John Forbes
Stage 3 Teacher
Holiday Activities
The Blue Mountains City Council and Libraries are offering a range of activities for these school holidays. See the PDF below for details on their holiday programs: