Junior School

Welcome back to Term Two

A warm welcome back to Term Two.  I trust the school holidays provided time for you and your family to rest and relax. Term One was certainly a very busy nine weeks.

All Junior School students are requested to be in full winter uniform for the start of Week 3 - Monday 29 April.  Students can wear P.E uniform on days in which they have P.E and on Fridays for House Sports. Hats are to be worn until 1 May. In this week’s Assembly, we looked at the difference between expectations and requirements. It is a requirement that our students take pride in their uniform and wear it well. 

Some important dates for the beginning of term:

• Friday 19 April - HBA Winter basketball season commences
• Saturday 20 April - GRHA Hockey season commences
• Tuesday 23 April - House Cross Country at Mirranatwa 
• Wednesday 24 April - Junior School ANZAC Day Service -10.15 am
• Thursday 25 April - ANZAC Day public holiday
• Friday 26 April - Walk to School Day
• Sunday 28 April - Community Golf Day

Staffing

I am delighted to announce Mrs. Pauline Cowland will be joining Mrs. Brigita Keiller as a Year 5 teacher for the remainder of 2024. Pauline brings a wealth of experience and passion for education to the role. She will teach the Year 5 students on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, commencing teaching duties on Monday 22 April. 

House Cross Country

We are absolutely thrilled to be hosting our House Cross Country run at our Mirranatwa property this year. Runners will get to experience a good old-fashioned Cross Country course.  Students will be bussed to the course, departing Myrniong at 9.10 am with events commencing at approximately 10.30 am.  Students are to wear their House sport uniform and are required to bring a packed lunch, snacks and a full water bottle.   Please ensure your child has their asthma puffer and/or Epipen as prescribed.  We are looking forward to a great day. 

Parents, guardians and family members are welcome to come along and cheer.

- 2501 Victoria Valley Rd, Victoria Valley VIC 3294

Rough and smooth roads

During the school holidays, I had the pleasure of listening to a radio interview with educational researcher Dr. Jane Foster, an expert in resilience. She has released a new book, ‘It’s In Your Hands’.  Dr. Foster talks about the change in society’s definition of success, and how this adversely impacts parenting. It appears society now defines success as having a happy and smooth life. She makes the following important points.

• Resilience is being tough when things get rough.
   
• We judge emotions as good and bad, when we should be reframing this to rough and smooth.
   
• Rough roads create resilience, and all roads have a purpose. We should not always attempt to place our children on a smooth road, by figuratively reaching over and frequently taking control of their steering wheel. This is known as ‘snowploughing’, where parents remove all obstacles that have the potential to cause their child upset.
   
• Our language is important. We should change our children’s language from ‘This is making me upset’ to ‘I am choosing to be upset.’
   
• Everyone, children included, have responsibility for how they react. 

With House Cross Country next week, we know not all students will be Age Champion, make the College team for the District Cross Country or place and be rewarded with ribbons. We all should value effort as well as achievement. 

“The important thing in sport is not to win, but to take part; the important thing in life is not triumph, but the struggle; the essential thing is not to have conquered but to have fought well.” Baron Pierre de Coubertin (founder of the Modern Olympics)

Continuous Reporting

The Junior School has moved to continuous reporting. Hopefully, you have been able to access your child’s Term One continuous reporting via PAM (Parental Access Module). The Junior School staff and I would appreciate your feedback as we transition to this new platform.  Please click on this link to complete a short survey.

Walk to School Day

We will be holding a Walk to School day next Friday, 26 April. Staff and students will meet at the Neil Maclean Hockey Field on Macpherson Steet (Senior Campus) for a 9.00am start. 

Bus travellers will alight at the Senior Campus and, using the Macpherson Street crossing, make their way across to the hockey field. Parents are most welcome to join us. Before School Care will run as per normal from 8.00am.

Sport

Hockey commences this week

The 2024 Hockey Season commences this Saturday, 20 April.  A reminder to parents that all players must be registered with Hockey Victory by Friday 19 April. Players cannot take the field if they are not registered. College has two Division 5 teams and two Division 4 teams in this year’s competitions. Information has been sent out regarding uniforms. It is very important that all College players are in the correct team uniform for matches. Best of luck to all for the season ahead.

This week’s matches:

Division 5 

• Black Panthers v Demons Blue - 12.00 pm at Pedrina Park
• Tigers have the bye

Division 4

• Foxes v Coleraine Gold - 2.00 pm at Pedrina Park
• Wolves v Dunkeld - 2.00 pm at Neil MacLean Field (College)