Junior Campus

Welcome back

A warm welcome back to Term Four. I trust everyone enjoyed a well-deserved holiday break. My family and I had a few days in Adelaide to unwind and relax.  During those few days, my holiday reading included James Clear’s ‘Atomic Habits’. A few takeaways:

1. Fall in love with boredom. Changes that seem small and unimportant at first will compound into remarkable results if you’re willing to stick with them for years.
2. Trust the process. Goals set directions; systems make progress.
3. You are what you do. Improvements are only temporary until they become part of who you are.
4. Disciplined people design their environment to work for them. They structure their lives in a way that does not require heroic willpower and self-control.
5. Start with repetition, not perfection. A habit must be established before it can be improved.

Term Four promises to be an energetic and exciting 10 weeks at Myrniong. As we start the term in typically eclectic south-west Victorian weather, a reminder that we have a two-week window for changeover to full summer uniform on Monday 16 October. Students may wear their winter uniform on colder days in the first two weeks. We ask that the options are either summer or winter uniform, and not combinations of both. Hats are compulsory from day one of this term. Students are to leave their hats at school. All hats must be labelled with names. 

Principal Michael Horne’s start of term letter outlined guidelines for the wearing of uniform and hair. One change gives boys the following options.

In keeping with the move towards equity in uniform and dress standards, from the start of this term boys whose hair touches the collar will have the option of tying it up or having it cut, the same options afforded to girls. This means that should boys like to wear their hair long they are able to do so, provided that it is neatly tied back with a hair tie. 

JUNIOR SCHOOL STAFFING

This term we welcome some new staff members to the Myrniong learning community. Ms Ava Knight and Ms Gemma Ridgway-Faye will join our Learning Support team, and Mrs Katie Dopheide joins the Early Learning Centre team.  We welcome them all. 

Our Prep Orientation program commences this week with an observational visit to the Early Learning Centre. Mrs. Sharon Kelly will be teaching Prep in 2024. Sharon brings a wealth of experience to the role, and we look forward to a wonderful Prep offering next year. 

Staffing for all Junior school classes (Prep to Year 6) will be announced in the week of Orientation Day – 9 November)

CAMPS

Our Term 4 camps commence next week with the Year 3 and 4 students heading across the border to Naracoorte for three days. I know they will enjoy their time exploring the World Heritage listed caves. 

On 1 November the Year 5 students will travel back in time to 1854 for their Sovereign Hill Costume School experience. They will have 3 days in Ballarat. 

On 16 November, our Year 1 and 2 students will head south to Port Fairy for their two-day camp. For many, this will be their first overnight school experience. Camps are an important component of our Junior School offering and provide an avenue for many memorable experiences and social connections across year levels.