Junior School
Term 3 Review
I regularly marvel at the breadth and depth of experiences offered to our boys in the Junior School, and alongside that, at the willingness of our staff to give so freely of their time to enable these experiences to actually happen. While 10 weeks may have seemed like a long period of time when the term first began back in the middle of July, the end of Term 3 is already upon us as we prepare for the final few days.
Firstly, I would like to sincerely thank the many parents/carers who were able to be present during our ‘Celebration of Learning’ events which were held last week in the Junior School classrooms. It was fantastic to see so many guests in attendance as the boys eagerly shared various samples of work they have created across different Key Learning Areas so far this year. We look forward to continuing to provide similar engagement opportunities for parents/carers in the future as we aim to connect you even more with your son/s learning in the Junior School!
When reflecting upon the term itself, it is unbelievable to consider the various events that have somehow been packed in alongside our regular teaching and learning experiences and different co-curricular commitments.
- Our Year 6 Student Ambassadors kicked off Term 3 by welcoming approximately 400 prospective parents/carers to the College at the end of Week 1 for our College Tours as they proudly modelled exactly what it means to be a Junior School boy.
- Our Semester 1 Academic Awards Assembly proved to be a wonderful opportunity to highlight the academic success of many boys across the Junior School.
- The Year 5 students then hosted their grandparents for our annual Grandparents’ Day celebrations, while the Year 6 cohort deepened their understanding of Mary MacKillop as they embarked on a special excursion linked to their Religious Education unit of work which was explored in class.
- Our two inaugural STEM Day experiences in honour of Science Week were a real thrill for many students as Year 5 had an incursion at school building earthquake-proof structures, while Year 6 travelled to Santa Sabina College for a unique collaborative event with the girls in Years 5 and 6.
- SPC2 Oval then became a sea of colour and creativity as students embraced the spirit of Book Week and a large number of parents/carers delighted in the opportunity to also be involved in the festivities!
- Nearly 30 Junior School boys participated in our first ever Stage 3 Public Speaking Competition and they were truly surprised by our special guest adjudicator for the day, Mr Michael Robson.
- As previously mentioned, parents were invited to attend the Junior School classrooms last week for our Celebration of Learning events, while the competitive House Touch Footy competition is due to come to a roaring finish over the final days of the term. Little wonder why our boys (and staff) are ready for a well-deserved break!
Speaking of time to rest and recharge, it has become quite evident over the past week or so that many boys are starting to run out of fuel as we reach the last few days of the term. Often during this time, it is quite common to see some students become rather emotional and things that would generally not upset them can quickly turn into a tidal wave of commotion! Our staff will continue to work very hard with the boys to focus on being kind to one another and showing gratitude throughout the day. We often speak of the boys’ character strengths at school and regularly highlight the ways in which these can be shown to other students and members of the wider community. Parents/carers are also encouraged to spend some time speaking with your son/s about the importance of meeting all College expectations right up to the finish line on Friday afternoon such as taking pride in the school uniform, being punctual to lessons and ensuring that students focus on making good choices both within and outside of the classroom when at school.
On another note, as we eagerly look ahead to the last term of the year, I would like to take this time to wish Mrs Jacinta Young (5 Red classroom teacher) all the very best as she commences her upcoming period of maternity leave at the end of this week. Mr Mark Leary (former Junior School classroom teacher at SPC) will be taking over from Mrs Young during Term 4 and teaching 5 Red between Tuesday to Friday each week. Mrs Giulia Ralton will continue to teach the class on a Monday. Parents/carers can be assured that a thorough handover process has already occurred involving Mrs Young, Mrs Ralton and Mr Leary as the individual educational needs of each boy in the class remains at the forefront of our minds.
Finally, as we reach the conclusion of another term, I would like to sincerely wish all Junior School families a relaxing break from usual school routines over the next two weeks. We look forward to seeing the boys return to the Junior School on Tuesday 10 October and can’t wait to hear of the many adventures they experience during the upcoming holiday period!
KYDS Mental Health
On the back of ‘R U OK? Day’ last week, KYDS, a renowned Youth Development Service, is running a series of free webinars for parents, carers and students to participate in. Please access the relevant links below to view further information about each of the bookable sessions.
From worriers to warriors: Helping young people with social anxiety
3 October at 1:00 PM and 4 October at 6:30 PM (repeated)
Parenting a screenager: Helping young people improve their digital mental health
11 October at 6:30 PM
From 'no' to 'go': Goal-setting and motivation made easy
17 October at 1:00 PM and 18 October at 6:30 (repeated)
24 October at 1:00 PM and 25 October at 6:30 PM (repeated)
KYDS is also running two webinars in the coming weeks in partnership with Headspace Australia, a national youth mental health foundation, related to supporting your child's transition from primary school to a high school context.
Small fish, big pond: Managing the transition to high school
20 September 6:30 PM
10 October 12:30 PM
If you have any queries or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me via email (glenn.stephenson@spc.nsw.edu.au) or phone (8705 9247) and I will endeavour to assist you in any way that I can.
May God bless you,
Glenn Stephenson
Director of Junior School