Head of Junior School 

This time next week, we will be preparing for the Easter break. It is important to be mindful of why we have this five-day break. As you are eating your Easter chocolate on Easter Sunday, we ask that you reflect on the resurrection of The Lord and his presence in our lives today. We hope to see everyone rested and re-charged on Wednesday 3 April.

In our recent Junior School Assembly, we recognised seven fine young men who were nominated by their teacher for being Virgilian of the Month for February. There were a variety of reasons for each teacher’s choice but primarily these students epitomise the values of being a Virgilian. Congratulations to the following students:

Prep: Angus Mulligan

Year 1: Finn Johnstone

Year 2: Patrick Hughes

Year 3: Harrison Rhodes

Year 4: Asher Coombe

Year 5: Reuben Schaller

Year 6: Flynn Barton

Plate with a Mate

On Tuesday 19 March, we collaborated in a fabulous initiative between SVC, SMC’s Murphy’s Cafe and Eat Well Tasmania’s newest campaign, ‘Plate with a Mate’.

The Plate with a Mate campaign encourages all Tasmanians to connect with mates and consider a healthier meal alternative, with the aim of ‘Bringing people together, one meal at a time.’

Kindergarten and Prep students joined with their buddies in Years 5 and 6 to sit together to eat a meal prepared by Phil Shanny from Murphy’s Café. Mr Carl Saunder, from Eat Well Tasmania, opened the event by informing the students about the benefits of, and why we are participating in Plate with a Mate. The menu for the lunch consisted of garlic bread, pasta with tomato sauce and parmesan cheese, tossed green salad and for dessert, platters of fruit.

We most definitely achieved our objectives of the day which were: 

• To support the buddy program between our Year 5 with Prep students and Year 6 with Kindergarten students.
• Promote the impact food has on well-being via fostering social connection.
• Promote conversations between our students.
• Support Tasmanians to eat well.
• Champion local food—hospitality and producer businesses.
• Create resources that help people enjoy healthier, delicious local food.

Some of the comments from the day from the adults were about how ‘warm and fuzzy’ they were feeling at seeing the friendships and conversations occurring between all the students. It was one fabulous day here at the Junior School. 

JSSATIS Swimming Team

Next Monday our swimming team will have an opportunity to compete against students from other Independent Colleges in the annual JSSATIS Swimming Carnival at the Hobart Aquatic Centre. I would like to congratulate and wish these students all the best for the competitions on Monday. 

Year 3: George Everard, Isaac Whitfield, Harrison Rhodes, Banjo White

Year 4: Archie Bugg, Rafe Glenn, Harrison Siddall, Winston Whittle, Samuel Houston

Year 5: Nate Debnam, Alexander Pritchard, Clancy Gillie, Oliver Wagstaff, Cash Salter

Year 6: William Creed, Jacob Lowe, Angus Newsham-West, Toby Sperring, Atticus Johnson Harrington, Oscar Halton, Henry Joyes

Junior School Football Tipping Winners

63 students participated in our Junior School Football Tipping, from Prep through to Year 6. Each Monday morning, a dedicated crew of Year 6 students volunteered their before-school time to mark each of the ‘old school paper tips.’ Here are the winners of the first two rounds and the number of their correct tips.

Opening Round:

Charles Rhodes (Prep): Three correct tips

Jake Di Santo (Year 2): Three correct tips

Hugh Johns (Year 3): Three correct tips

Round One:

Max Marsden (Year 6): Eight correct tips

Archie Argyropoulos (Year 5): Eight correct tips

Junior School P&F Football Tipping

Meanwhile, in the P&F Football Tipping, 73 staff and parents/carers have signed up. What a fabulous effort, thank you to everyone who has joined. If you already have an ESPN account and are tipping in another competition, you can still join ours as well. Each round winner receives $20.

Opening Round Winner:  Mrs Jo Messer with 4 from 4

Round One winner:  LOU_MCK with 9 from 9

Football Margin Tickets and Footy Fun Night

The P&F kicked off their fundraising efforts by selling Football Margin Tickets for the Round One game between Collingwood and Sydney Swans. On the same night, the P&F also hosted a Footy Fun Night at the Junior School, watching the game live in the hall. 

Before the game, Mr Jason Britten ran a football kicking competition. Prizes were kindly donated by Mr Samm Harrington. We had about 80 students, staff and families in attendance for the game, who dined on Heeney Hamburgers, Papley or Pendlebury Pies or Sidebottom sausages, cooked by our dedicated P&F team. Thank you Abbey Doggett, Matt Gillie, Samm Harrington, Nick Findlay, Michelle and Stuart Spotswood, Maria Bond and many others who helped during the evening. 

The Football margin ticket winners were:

1st Quarter:  Mrs Kim Mooney - $20

Half time:  Mr Samm Harrington - $20

Three-quarter time:  No tickets sold

Full Time winner:  Mr Simon Blackaby -  $400

Year 5

On Wednesday 13 March, Year 5 were lucky to do a Zoom call with a scientist, Jas Allnutt, who is currently on Macquarie Island helping to track animals. The Year 5 students were taught about orcas, whales, penguins and birds, and the changes that are occurring to these animals from year to year. The Year 5 students asked lots of wonderful questions after studying adaptations of Antarctic animals in class this term.

Chess

This week ten of our chess players had the opportunity to play some friendly games against SMC students in preparation for the Interschool Chess Competition next week. Thank you Miss Daun for organising this warm-up event with Mrs Canning from SMC.