Junior School News
When Books and Art Collide
The massive Girton Grammar Junior School annual Art Show opened on Wednesday 11th September and visitors were treated to an array of interpretations of this year’s theme, Books, Storytelling and Literature, with a distinctly Australian overtone.
A special Welcome to Country by Raquel Kerr opened the show for parents on Wednesday evening, and on Thursday 12th September, the Art Show was the centerpiece of the annual Grandparents and Special Friends Day.
Head of Junior School Art at Girton Grammar School, Mrs Nic James, said that the student learning through compiling work for this exhibition has been extraordinary.
“The students from Prep to Year 6 have been working on an array of exhibition pieces since last Term.
“We have had rich conversations about how art can bring words to life and about the special place that our native flora and fauna plays in Australian literature.
“The students have made sculptural birds out of hay and wood, inspired by the indigenous Tjanpi Desert Weavers and we have made gum leaves out of ceramics.
“Several famous characters from popular Australian books will feature in the show including the rainbow fish, Bunjil the eagle, Snuggle Pot and Cuddlepie and Ruby and the Hen.
“Indigenous style artwork captures characters from the Sally Morgan book, Little Birds Day, and we have an enormous sculptural Brolga and Echidna on show, inspired by indigenous sculpture and weaving,” Mrs James said.
The Girton Grammar Junior School Art Show has been running for 23 years and is one of the biggest of its kind in Central Victoria. The exhibition will feature ceramics, calico tie-dyed fish, hay sculptures, student painted self-portraits, collage paintings, and an installation of photographs of the students. Mrs Nic James has been the Director of the Junior School Art Show since its inception.
“The ever-popular Faraway Tree is also a centerpiece of the Art Show this year, and we have a wonderful interpretation of The Colour Monster, which is a story about emotions by author Anna Llenas.
“I am immensely proud of the hard work our students have demonstrated and their creative visual interpretations of the written word,” Mrs James said.
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Quotes from Prep M students:
The Art show was fabulous. I loved the brolga. Ruby and Aria
The Art Show was fantastic! I loved the brolga. The echidna was terrific. Annie
The Art Show was really amazing. I loved the skateboards. I liked all the things. I was happy about the skateboards. Simar
The Art Show was amazing. I loved the skateboards. Samarth
The Art Show was amazing. I loved everything! I got to see my pictures. I had so much fun. I wanted to stay here. Rae
The Art Show was amazing. I loved the chameleons. Raneem
The Art Show was the best! I loved the lot. I liked the fire breathing dragons. Aayush
The Art Show was the best thing ever. I loved the lot! Thomas
The Art Show was amazing. I loved the echidna the most. Maddison
The Art Show was amazing. I loved it so much. My favourite thing was the brolga. It was just amazing. Amelia
At the Art Show was amazing. My favourite things was the paintings. I also liked the echidna. I also liked the skateboards. Frederick
I went to the Art Show. It was amazing. Layla
The Art Show was amazing. I loved the city we made, and I liked the echidna. Keshavi
The Art Show was the most amazing and I loved the echidna. Otto
The Art Show was spectacular. The art was good. I thought the Rafikis were spectacular. I saw all of mine. Mine were so good. It was so much fun watching the art! I loved the whole lot. Chloe
The Art Show was amazing. My favourite things was the echidna. It made me amazed. Archer
The Art Show was amazing. Everyone’s art work was amazing and my favourite was the fish tank. I can’t wait to show my Mum and my little sister. Matthew
The art was fantastic. I loved the chameleons. I loved the skateboards. I loved us. I loved the lot! I loved the faraway tree. Polly
The Art Show was amazing and I loved the skateboards and that was my favourite thing there and at the Art Show I loved what they did. When I saw everything there I thought they did so much there. Bella
Grandparents' and Special Friends' Day
Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day was, once again, an outstanding success! The event kicked off with the Opening of the Junior School Art Exhibition on Thursday. We thank Racquel Kerr for taking the time to visit and formally open our exhibition. Racquel is a member of the Dja Dja Wurrung tribe. The work that our students produce and display at the Art Exhibition never ceases to amaze. The theme for 2019 was books, with artwork displaying elephants, birds, monsters, bugs on flowers and, of course, the ever popular skateboards. The talent of the students under the watchful eyes of Mrs James is astounding.
The support of parents is what makes this event such as great achievement for all. Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day was well attended and the students did themselves and school proud with their talented musical performances. Thank you again to all the parents who helped out throughout the day ensuring urns were hot with tea and coffee and lunch was served on time. Thank you to all the businesses that support our annual event. Thank you also Kate Monotti Photography who not only takes all the wonderful ‘Friendship Photos’ that are available to purchase but who also comes along on the day to take those much loved photos with special guests.
Mrs Viv Bath
Deputy Head of Junior School
Please click on the images above to view the gallery
Haiku Poems: Year Four
Bees
Tom Gay (4 Jenkin)
Pollinating plants
Busy collecting pollen
Creating honey
Spring Wind
Lachlan Edwards (4 Jenkin)
Wind stinging my eyes
Blossoms are all around me
Wind blowing on me
Buzzing Bees
Levi Brain (4 Millward)
Bees collect pollen
Buzzing bees sting mean people
I love buzzy bees!
I love Spring
Amelia Westbrook (4 Frew)
The birds are chirping
I like to see the rainbows
The sun is shining
Spring
Kyah Spiteri (4 Riley)
Beautiful flowers
I see blossom, trees and bees
I hear wind whistle
Joyful Spring
Fern Carter- Kelynack (4 Frew)
The light blue flowers
With the black and yellow bees
Dance in the sunshine
Spring
Charlotte Hindson (4 Frew)
The sun is shining
The flowers are blooming now
Bes are working hard
Bees
Joseph Swiss (4 Riley)
Bees buzzing all day
Attack with their vicious sting
Bees, they hurt so much
Spring
Gracie Morris (4 Jenkin)
Spring is hard at work
Flowers are beaming with joy
The sun is shining
Spring
Isabel Mulder (4 Aherne)
Flowers bloom in Spring
Butterflies emerge and fly
The sun shines on me
Soccer Results at State Championships
On Friday 6th Septemeber our Junior School Girls Soccer team competed in the State Championships in Melbourne. This was an outstanding day for all involved. The girls made us all proud of the way they represented Girton Grammar School and carried themselves on such a big day.
The team finished in the top 3 in the state. They won 1 game, drew 1 and lost 1. Their efforts all day were outstanding as they only conceded 1 goal for the day to the eventual champions.
Thank you to all the parents and spectators who have supported the team over the past two months as they have travelled from Swan Hill to Melbourne.
Congratulations to the following students on all you have achieved.
Year 6
Mia Nichol
Tess Haynes
Mackenzie Couch
Anna de Vries
Ruby Cornelius
Claire Jones
Bronte Flanagan
Maggie Byrne
Year 5
Bella Bowles
Imogen Stewart
Lucy O’Shea
Year 4
Vivienne Steel
Bianca Schelosky
Ruby Flanagan
Mrs Hayes, Mr Di Fede and Mr Flanagan
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Ballarat Football/Netball Carnival
On Thursday the 5th of September, 3 football teams and 1 netball team went to play against Ballarat Grammar at the Golden Square Football Oval. Firstly, of all the Girls Year 5 and 6 team played against Ballarat. It was a very tough game and was extremely cold! All the girls on the field were having a fantastic time, even though we lost, it was such a great game and was very fun.
Then the Year 4 and 3 mixed team played. It was a rough game but there were lots of laughs and smiling faces. We can tell the Year 4’s and 3’s are super excited to play again in the coming years, even though they didn’t win, that didn’t matter to them. They all had a terrific time and would love to do it next year.
Then it was the netballers. They played some very tough games and had a lot fun with their friends. They were very proud of themselves that they played the best that they could, they won one game, and lost the other. It was a great effort and they had a blast.
Then it was the Year 5 and 6 boys football team. Ballarat got to start with 4 goals for the shield (because the scores of the other two teams are combined), but the boys didn’t mind. They put in a lot of effort and were trying their hardest, even though they didn’t end up coming out on top, they had a lot of fun together. And the Year 5’s can’t wait to do it next year!
By Ethan Hooke 6M and Maggie Byrne 6V
Last Thursday, we hosted Ballarat Grammar School in the annual competition for the Flanagan/Warwick Shield at the Golden Square Football/Netball Oval. This exciting 20-year tradition between the two schools, encompassing football and netball across Year 3-6, is always an amazing day to share with the roughly 200 students and supporters that attend. We would like to thank the Girton Parent and Friends Association for their valued contribution to organising and preparing the BBQ, and the teachers involved: Mrs Linda Gibson, Mr Jamie Turner, Mr Paul Flanagan, Mrs Vickie Holland and Mrs Kim Henery, for their commitment and effort towards orchestrating an incredible day on the school calendar. I would also like to thank Mr Jason Seipolt, Mr Stuart McKenzie and Thomas Seipolt (4D) for their excellent umpiring on the day. Finally, to our Senior School Leaders Jarra Sardone (9 Aherne), William Hamilton (9 Jenkin) and Benjamin McConachy (8 Riley), we thank you for your ongoing commitment and support to our program throughout the year. We look forward to attending Ballarat next year in the hope we can bring home the shield!
Mr Dean Norris
MiC of Junior School Football
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Year 2 camp to Camp Kookaburra, Corop
5th and 6th September, 2019
On Thursday I got to school and had a little play. We went to the peppercorn tree and took some pictures then we got on the bus. I was sitting next to Emma.
We got to Camp Kookaburra and we sat down and got to know who was in our cabin. My cabin was Emily, Amelia, Shayla, Lucy and Ailiyah. We put all our things in our room but we didn’t unpack, we claimed our beds and then we had a tour.
We went to the court and we were put into random groups. My group went the initiatives first. We didn’t go well! Second activity we had low ropes. I was partners with Manha! We are good together. Our third activity was indoor rock climbing. Then we all went to our cabin. We had a BIG BIG CHAT! (It was good, not bad!) Then Mrs Burge came in and told us the dinner bell is going to go soon and she was right! The dinner bell did go. We had spaghetti for dinner.
After dinner we got our big jackets and went for a night walk. We developed our night vision. We went to bed and it sounded like the boys next door were having a PARTY! We couldn’t get to sleep (ahhhh). Shayla and Ailiyah kept whispering!
The next day we got ready and we had breakfast. It was corn flakes and orange juice. Once again, we had to go the court. I was in the same group. Our activities were GaGa ball and rock climbing. Then I had orienteering. My partner was Isla! We finished the first one but we still had six more to go for course with 24 clues.
We had lunch, a hot dog and ice cream. Nicky, who is Kate and Charles’ son, did a dance. We played thumbs up heads down, then we had to go!
On the bus I was partners with Pippa. Harsh and Felix sat behind us and at one stage, Felix stared talking like a baby! We got to school and mum was waiting for me there. I ran to her and gave her a BIG hug. I waited for Lucy’s mum and then I went home.
By Chloe Carter
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