Junior School News
Year 6 Students are pleased to be back at school
- From the Head of the Junior School
- Junior School Sport
- Junior Resource Centre News
From the Head of the Junior School
PRAYER
Most of us know the Patron Saint of Australia. Well in my family we do, with my Mother’s maiden name being Ryan and my cousins being Brady, Shanahan, Johnson, Ryan, O’Cain, etc.
In Australia we now have two Patron saints. The first patron saint, since 1844, was Mary Help of Christians which is one of the titles given to Our Lady in Heaven. The second patron saint, since 2013, is Mary of the Cross, MacKillop. May is the Month of Mary therefore:
RETURN TO SCHOOL
As per Mr Couani’s email on Tuesday and following the Premier's announcement, we will be resuming full time schooling as of next week. Once again I would like to thank the teachers for their efforts through this online learning phase plus I would like to thank the boys and you the parents for your support. Thank you.
I would also like to reiterate that your sons will still require a water bottle and we are promoting healthy hygiene practices.
THURSDAY
Tomorrow, Thursday, we will be going to Oxford Falls. We will be doing Winter sport skills and fitness sessions, not full contact. We ask that the boys bring their normal winter sports equipment, so footballers require shin pads and boots. Rugby require mouth guard, jersey and boots. AFL, please bring their normal training equipment which would be boots if you have them. I realise with Covid-19 that you may not have boots so bring an old pair of runners if you have them. I also note that if we don’t have full contact then technically a rugby player doesn’t require a mouth guard but it is always best to train in the equipment they play in plus, I believe, it would be best for the boys to have a semblance of normalcy in their lives.
Please note: the weather forecast is for rain. Your son should have a full change of clothes to train in so if he gets wet, he can change back into his dry school uniform to go home.
As per last week’s newsletter:
Year 6 are going to be bussed down to Oxford Falls at the beginning of the day. Mr Simpson will be at Oxford Falls from 8.30 am in the morning so if your son is in Year 6, you can drop him off from that time onwards and he will be supervised on the top oval. The Year 6 boys who come to school will be bussed down to Oxford Falls at 9.00 am and will do two lesson as per usual, but at Oxford Falls. We will have 3 buses to transport Year 6 to Oxford Falls. Year 5 will stay at school, have their two lessons and recess and then they will be bussed down. We will start sport at the usual time. At the conclusion of the day parents can collect their sons at 2.15 pm but we are going to initiate a pick up zone. We will have teachers with the boys being picked up and they will stand in Dreadnought Road near the Manager’s residence. If you could have you family name on the passenger side visor or window, we will have the boys ready to get into the car. The remainder of the boys will be bussed back to school for their normal dismissal.
A THOUGHT TO PONDER
The following quotation is taken from the correspondence of Blessed Edmund Rice
"Have courage; the good seed will grow up in the children's hearts later on."
Stay Safe.
Thanking you for your support,
Mr Tim Long, Head of Junior School
Junior School Sport
Thursday Sport
Training for Rugby, Football and AFL
With the return of our Thursday Sport Program this week all boys will need gear to train for their chosen Winter Sport. In preparing the boys for a restart to Saturday Sport in Term 3, in Week 4 this term there will be a re-introduction of fundamental skills. Trials and team selections will begin in Week 5. Those not playing a Winter Sport will be involved in a range of games and activities.
For your information the following precautions are being implemented:
- Additional coaches in attendance to provide small group interaction
- Additional buses to ensure maximum physical distancing during travel to and from
- A drive through pick up/drop off at Oxford Falls
Mr Benn McBrearty, Junior School Sports Master
SPX FOOTBALL 2020
Virtual SPX Football Training Sessions on Microsoft Teams
A virtual SPX Football skills and fitness training program is available at the SPX Football Folder on Microsoft Teams to all boys who attended the SPX Senior School Football trials in February 2020. Huge thanks to Mr Lacey for establishing this SPX Football Development program based on the Football Federation of Australia (FFA) curriculum. SPX Football boys, please use this program to develop and maintain your football skills.
SPX Football Online Referee Course – Prize Draw & Paid Referee Games at Oxford Falls
SPX boys are also encouraged to register and complete the online and free preliminary referee course offered by FFA. See web-link (also at the SPX Football Folder on Microsoft Teams): https://www.playfootball.com.au/referee/laws-of-the-game?_ga=2.255398154.385912815.1586174178-586563975.1586174178
The SPX Football Supporters Club (FSC) is offering a prize draw for SPX boys who complete the referee course and obtain their preliminary referee certificate. To enter the prize draw, please send your certificate to the SPX FSC at email: footballclub@pandf.spx.nsw.edu.au
The prize draw includes football kit items donated by the SPX FSC to be drawn at a SPX Football social event later in 2020. We are starting to see entries for the prize draw by SPX boys who have completed the referee course. Please join in.
Your preliminary referee certificate can also be presented to Paul Cummins, SPX Junior School Football Convenor, to join SPX boys referee team for SPX Junior School football games at Oxford Falls on Saturday mornings during future football seasons.
Mrs Cathy Thomson, SPX Football Supporters Club
Junior Resource Centre News
This week's highlights:
ADVENTURES with AUTHORS AND ILLUSTRATORS As our world becomes healthier and we wait for school visits to begin again, connect to behind the scenes of people behind the books through their websites and other social media.
BOOK: THE GOOD SON: A STORY FROM THE FIRST WORLD WAR, TOLD IN MINIATURE PIERRE-JACQUES OBER, Illustrated by JULES OBER & FELICITY COONAN (Walker Books)
Website: https://littlesoldierstories.com
Instagram: @littlesoldierstories
INTRODUCTION:- The Good Son - a Story from the First World War Told in Miniature is the simple story of Pierre - a young man who wants to be a good son and also a good soldier, but the world is at war and he can’t be both. A labour of love that took about 4 years to produce, the book is made up of over 140 photographs of about 850 miniature figurines and sets, photographed on a small table by the window in our house. Whilst the characters are invented, the story is based in historical fact.
NAME OF VIDEO: Little Soldier Stories - A Little Studio Tour
LINK: https://littlesoldierstories.com/a-little-studio-tour
NOTES: Meet the authors of The Good Son and take a peek at their Melbourne studio where the book was created.
Mrs Martin’s Book Trail: I’m on a roll! Next up on my list is book 4 in the Mr. Lemoncello series – Mr Lemoncello’s All-Star Breakout Game by Chris Grabenstein.
So far, this one is just as exciting as the first three. Aaaand … I found out that Book 5 is coming out in August! #mrsmartinsbooktrail2020
Mrs Elena Martin, Teacher Librarian, Junior Resource Centre
Junior School Chess Club
A big thank you to the Year 6 Students who were at Chess training in the JRC via Zoom and also to the Year 5 Students who were also able to participate via Zoom at home.
The students had an online lesson, and were also able to verse others online to keep up their skills.
Chess training will continue again next week at 7:30 am for both Year 5 and Year 6 in the JRC via Zoom.
A big thank you to The Sydney Academy of Chess, and our Chess Trainer, Kevin Hu, for making this happen.
Mrs. Elena Martin, Junior School Chess Convenor