Junior School News

From the Head of Junior School

This week I have had several parents speak with me at the gate or during interviews about the emotional understandings that their children have been expressing at home. The conversations have not specifically been around emotions but, during the discussions, there has been reference to their child’s emotions, understandings of emotions or ability to accurately label their emotional state at a particular time. In one instance the child was able to not only relate how they were feeling but were able to reflect on how other students and the class teacher would be feeling. 

These conversations did not just involve our older students. My experiences this week involved various discussions with parents of students from Year One to Year Six. The discussions were positive and initiated by parents who wanted to share their observations of how their children were able to reflect on how they were feeling and were comfortable and confident in discussing them. It is gratifying as a teacher to hear from parents that they recognise that our programs are having a real and positive impact on the lives of their children. At Girton, we have been teaching Emotional Intelligence explicitly for 10 years. From 2011 when our team of teachers returned from Yale, we knew that it was going to have a positive impact on our school community. Even so, it is wonderful to hear from parents how they recognise the impact on the way their children can recognise, understand, label, express and regulate their emotions. For those parents who would like to find out more about how they can support the emotional intelligence concepts at home, there will be parent information nights for both Senior School and Junior School in Term 2.

Congratulations and thank you to the 13 Year Six students who bravely volunteered to shave their heads for the World’s Greatest Shave. Thank you also to Mrs Bath for her tireless work in supporting the students and helping them with their fundraising and to our Junior School Community for supporting the fundraising efforts. At the latest count, we have raised over $20 000 with donations still coming in. This is a superb effort for a very worthy cause.

Mr Donald Thompson

Head of Junior School

Girton Students Braved the Shave

On Wednesday 10th March, a group of students from Girton Grammar Junior School shaved their heads to raise money and awareness for the Leukemia Foundation, and other students will played their part with creative hairstyles. 

Thirteen students braved the shave for the annual fundraiser.

Mrs Viv Bath, a passionate advocate for the event, said that the school has a long history of raising money and awareness through the World’s Greatest Shave event. 

“Both our Senior School and Junior School students and staff have supported this event for fifteen years. 

“It is quite moving to watch young children pledging their commitment to supporting Leukemia research in this very personal way. 

“Their understanding of the problem being bigger than themselves, and relating on such a personal level to the hair loss experienced for so many cancer patients, is profound for such young people,” Mrs Bath said. 

Congratulations to the Junior School students who braved the shave and wore creative coifs for the Leukaemia Foundation and have raised in excess of a whopping $20,500. 

Thank you to Jools for Jim hairdressing who donated their time and provided hairdressers for this event.