Head of Junior School 

Welcome to Abduttayyib

This week we welcomed Abduttayyib Ujjainwala to our Junior School in Year 5. Abduttayyib previously attended one of our EREA Colleges, CBC Adelaide. He and his parents will be in Tasmania for a 12-month period. I know you will join me in extending a warm welcome to Abduttayib and his parents, Salim and Arwa, not only to Tasmania but to SVC.

Staff Supporting Staff 

This week a number of our staff members have been affected by illness, either themselves or a parent. On some days we have been short-staffed. It is during times like these that our true generosity of spirit and collegiality shine through. Some of us have stepped into classes, sometimes at the last minute, or simply be available for a conversation, debrief or just support. Please keep Mrs Heather Priest and Ms Connie Abate, whose mother and father respectively are unwell, in your thoughts and prayers.

Year 6 Leaders for 2025: Speeches and Voting

As is tradition, our Year 5 students nominate themselves for leadership positions in the Junior School for the following year. Positions such as School Captain and Vice Captain, SRC, House Captains and Vice Captains, and Mini Vinnies President are all up for grabs. Year 5 students are required to make a speech to Junior School students in Years 3 to 6. Speeches will be delivered on Monday 18 November, followed by a democratic voting process. Miss Amelia Daun will count the votes, and results will be announced, with a handover of leadership taking place on Speech Night.

Orientation Day: Monday 25 November

An air of excitement and anticipation is building for Monday 25 November, when all students, in all year levels, will spend the day in their 2025 class with their new class teacher. (This will be slightly different for our current Kindergarten and Prep students, who will just spend the morning in their respective classes). We will also be inviting new students to SVC Junior School for 2025 to spend time with us, getting to know their new classmates and teachers. The day will conclude with a performance from our Year 5 band in an assembly, commencing at 2.30 pm in the Junior School Hall. All families will receive a formal notification next week about their class teacher for 2025.

Pre-Kindergarten Sessions 2 and 3: Cars and Trucks and Going Bush

Since our last newsletter, we have hosted two more weeks of Pre-Kindergarten. The themes have been “Cars and Trucks,” and this week, they are “Going Bush” at our Senior Campus. This is a wonderful introduction to not only the Junior School but also our Senior Campus and their future school lives as Virgilians.

Basketball Championships 

Last weekend, two Year 3/4 teams participated in the Southern Primary Basketball Championships. Both teams demonstrated resilience, determination, and sportsmanship over two days of games, finishing 4th in their respective divisions. Thank you to Mrs Jane Whitfield, Mrs Aimee Tatnell, Mrs Chris Free, and Mr Ben Mapley for coaching the students leading up to and including the weekend of games. Congratulations to the following students: 

Division One team: Judd Spotswood, Archie Bugg, Max Free, Rafe Glenn, Jack Kilgour, Alexander Mackenzie, and Nate Mapley

Division Two team: George Everard, Gabriel Knaj, Ian Mazimpaka, Harrison Rhodes, Harrison Siddall, Isaac Whitfield, Banjo White, and Winston Whittle.  Thank you also to the parents/carers who volunteered their time on the bench and to the staff who attended games over the weekend.

JSSATIS and STCPSSA Athletics

Over the past few weeks, our athletics team has represented SVC at two different carnivals: JSSATIS (Independent Schools) and STCPSSA (Catholic Primary Schools). Both students participated and competed in the spirit of the day, with outstanding performances from many, most notably Angus Newsham-West (Year 6) in his final representative carnivals.

Early Years Carnival 

Our Early Years will have their time to shine in their athletics carnival on Tuesday 19 November at 9.10 am on the Junior School futsal court. All family members are welcome to come along to support and spectate.

Swimming Program Wrap-Up

We are nearing the end of our two-week swimming program at Collegiate Pool. As you may appreciate, coordinating the logistics of transporting around 200 students from Kindergarten through Year 6 to and from the pool is a significant undertaking. Students (and staff) have experienced a range of emotions throughout the fortnight, and all students have shown resilience and a ‘can-do’ attitude. Our Years 2 to 6 cohorts have walked to the pool (Year 2s bus back), braving typical Tasmanian weather with rain, heat, and wind. We thank you for supporting our ‘no lunch orders’ policy during this time and for ensuring your son is prepared with all required clothing. We made it!

Speech Night for Years 3 to 12: Wednesday 4 December from 6.30 pm - 8.00 pm

All students in Years 3 to 6, along with their parents/carers, are strongly encouraged to attend the College Speech Night and Year 12 Graduation on Wednesday 4 December, at MyState Arena, beginning at 6.30 pm. We will be awarding Dux for Year 6, as well as Academic Excellence Awards and Academic Effort Awards for Years 3 to 6. Additionally, we will present the Junior Edmund Rice, Junior Virgilian, Sportsmanship, and Music Awards. During the evening, our Years 5 and 6 bands will perform.

End-of-Year Assembly

Monday 9 December, marks our annual End of Year Assembly, held between 1.00 pm and 3.00 pm in the Nagle Centre of St Mary’s College. This assembly will feature choir performances and the presentation of End of Year Class and Specialist Certificates, as well as the Year 6 video.

Junior School Thanksgiving Liturgy and Year 6 Graduation

On Wednesday 11 December, all students from Kindergarten to Year 6 are invited to attend our Junior School Thanksgiving Liturgy at St Mary’s Cathedral from 6.00 pm to 7.00 pm. Parents/carers are also invited to join us for this special occasion.