Notices Sent Home

School Photos
Netball
District Swimming via Operoo

InitiaLit Has Commenced

This week is an exciting week in our early years’ classrooms with the commencement of the InitiaLit program. The first two weeks of school have allowed classroom teachers to screen all students in Prep to Year Two and set up resources, classroom timetables and home reading regimes. InitiaLit provides our students with a reading program that incorporates a synthetic phonics approach to the teaching of phonics alongside a rich literature and vocabulary component. It is evidence-based and aligned with Australian and Victorian curricula. I thank Mrs Kelly, Mrs Callinan, Mrs Alexander and Ms Brabham for their efforts in accessing professional learning setting up this important component of our Literacy program.

2022 Junior School House Captains

Following a thorough and transparent process, I am excited to announce our 2022 Junior School House Captains.

Berry House - Maggie Mercer and Harley Kearns

Laidlaw House - Freddie Milne and George Nicholls

Learmonth House - Archie Malseed and Lachlan Sweeney

Young House - Abigail Henderson and Hartley Johns

We look forward to all eight students displaying initiative, passion for their House and followship throughout this important year in the College’s history.

Congratulations to Berry/Young House on winning the House Swimming cup. Age Champions for 2022 are:

9 Years - Matilda Mercer & Zane Palmer

10 Years – Poppy Shepherd & Andy Stewart

11 Years – Yolanda O’Sullivan, Sophie Satchell, Charlie Hindhaugh & Jimmy Dyer

12/13 Years – Abigail Henderson & Lachlan Reid

Teacher/Parent Information Afternoons

We enjoyed strong attendance at our Junior School Teacher/Parent Information afternoons this week. Teacher information hand-outs can be forwarded on to parents who were unable to attend. Please email class teachers if you require a copy.

School Photographs– Postponed

Unfortunately, Athur Reed photographers have become close contacts and are now in Covid isolation. This means that we need to reschedule the dates of our Senior School, Junior School and Generational photos.

As soon as we have the new dates booked in, we will share this information.

Time Capsule

Last week the Year Six students were given the Home Learning task of designing a time capsule that would be opened in 150 years. They were each asked to nominate five items to be placed in the capsule, and to justify their inclusion. Some of the more interesting included a Myrniong acorn, a Rapid Antigen Test, College crest, world map, photograph of the 2022 teachers, a school laptop, can of coke, a pen, College tie, a copy of the Stock and Land and the Hamilton Spectator. My favourite was Hartley Johns’ contribution of ‘Beetanical’ honey. His justification was ‘bees may not be with us in 150 years’. Well done Year Six on your creative thinking.

Netball

The Hamilton Netball Association Junior Competition begins on Saturday 19th February and concludes on Saturday 26th March. It will be a short season of five weeks, with no games on the long weekend (Saturday 12th March). All games will be played at HILAC so please allow time for check-in upon arrival.

Uniform required is the College P.E. uniform. Please make sure you bring a water bottle and arrive 10 minutes before the game starts. No jewellery is to be worn.

The coach of the 11 and Under team is Mrs Sharon Kelly. Training will take place at school on Mondays at lunchtime. Thank you to Mrs Zoe Price who will be the team manager and Mrs Louise Patterson who will be umpiring.

The 13 and Under team will also train on Mondays at lunchtime with Mrs Milich. Thank you to our volunteers, Ms Hazel Weir, team manager and senior students, Abbie Correll and Bella Chow who are our umpires.

Round One: Saturday 19th February

11 and Under Court 1 College Owls v North Hamilton Gems 9.30am

13 and Under Court 4 College Jaguars v Cavendish Cats 9.30am

COST:

JUNIORS	Born between 01/01/2005 and 31/12/2011 (11 – 17 years) Bornon or after 01/01/2012 (8-10years)
Victoria Netball Association (VNA)	HNA Membership Fee	HNA GAME FEES	Total
$60	$10	$30	$100

Payment:

All Money is payableonline to the Hamilton Netball Association via the website https://netballconnect.worldsportaction.com/login or via the NetballConnect App on your smartphone (App Store or Google Play). * Please note this is a new portal/app from Netball Victoria to pay fees, you no longer use MyNetball. VNA only needs to be paid once for 2022, if paid with another club you still need to register online for HNA (the VNA will be automatically removed online if already paid with anotherclub).

Please make sure you bring your medical and media forms to the first game and give them to your team manager.

NetSetGo will also be running in conjunction with the junior netball competition at 10:30 am each week over the 5 weeks. Whilst the registration portal hasn't opened as yet, they are accepting names either via their Facebook page or via email to hnajunior@gmail.com - please include your child's name and date of birth. Volunteers are an important part of running the NetSetGo program, so they would appreciate parents helping out on the day.

You can also follow the HNA Facebook page for information each week.

Enjoy the season everyone.

Mad Hatter's Tea Party

You won’t want to be late for this very important date.

Myrniong is playing host to a tea party on Friday 4th March that any Mad Hatter would be proud to attend, and of course, you are invited.

We would love for you to join us to celebrate College’s 150th birthday.

The event will be held in the afternoon, starting at 1:00 pm and concluding at 3:00 pm with a hat toss from the top of the oval.

Students are to wear their summer uniform with any hat. The hat can be bought, made or found at the bottom of the toy box. It can be as fancy as you like. This is your chance to create a masterpiece if creativity is your style. We would love to see every student wearing a hat to the event. Please note The Early Learning Centre children will be making theirs at school. Children in Prep to Year Six are responsible for organising their own hat.

Staff, parents and visitors are asked to join in the fun by dressing up, either as a character from the story or by adding a hat. Think Alice, the White Rabbit, Queen of Hearts, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Cheshire Cat, playing cards, just to name a few. Equally as fun would be to wear bright coloured clothes and a hat. The children will be thrilled to see members of their families getting into the spirit of the afternoon.

The children will be enjoying high tea, served by our parent helpers, while they listen to our guest speaker, our Year Six students and some wonderful music by members of the Junior School.

To add to the fun, children are invited to bring their own teacup for high tea.

A very exciting part of the afternoon will be the digging up of the time capsule that was buried 25 years ago. Our School Captains, Amelie and Lachlan will reveal the contents.

Venture down the rabbit hole and into the garden, lovingly decorated by our wonderful parents. You will believe you stepped straight into the pages of Lewis Carroll’s story. There are bound to be peculiar moments and the festivities will be child’s play but who wouldn’t enjoy a game of croquet played with flamingo clubs. This is just one of the games that will be played and parents are most welcome to join in and play the games with the children.

Expect your invitation to arrive soon via the schoolbag, courtesy of your sons and daughters. We hope to see you there.

Mrs Bernadette Milich

Deputy Head of Junior School

Junior School House Swimming Carnival

Wow! If ever there was a day to watch our Junior School students shine in the pool, it was definitely at the Junior School House Swimming Carnival held at the Hughan Park Outdoor Pool last Friday 11th February.

I was totally overwhelmed by the incredible amount of House spirit, team support and individual effort displayed by our students during the entire day. From our youngest students demonstrating the skills they have been developing over the past week during Swimming Intensive lessons, through to children swimming with their friends in a relay race, swimming 50m for the very first time, having a go at a stroke that they find challenging or improving upon impressive personal best times. Every student should be proud of both themselves and their House team – it was very special to see all of these personal goals being achieved throughout the course of the day.

Alongside our students, stand their very proud and helpful parents and teachers. Our sporting days rely strongly on the support of our teachers and parents and I am very grateful to all helpers who fulfilled many important roles. It was such a terrific feeling to have parents and friends back joining us poolside. Many thanks also to Mrs Kate Pye and her helpers for running the very popular food and drinks stall on the day.

Congratulations to all of our Age-Group champions and combined House winners on the day Berry/Young (Watermelon).

Best of luck to Poppy Shepherd, Ada O’Brien, Grace O’Sullivan, Matilda Mercer, Charlie Hindhaugh, Yolanda O’Sullivan, Sophie Satchell, Elsie Brown, Lachlan Reid, George Edgar, George Nicholls, Hartley Johns and Abigail Henderson who have all qualified to compete in Warrnambool for the SSV Division Swimming Championships on Friday 4th March. We look forward to cheering you all on at this event!

Mrs Louise Patterson

Head of Junior School Sport

Stephen Nelson

Head of Junior School

Dates to Remember