Open Classrooms Morning

Each term the Junior School will open up Prep to Year Six classrooms for parents to visit and share in the teaching and learning of our students and staff. Our first Open Classroom for 2022 will be next Thursday, 31 March at 10.00am. Please email Mrs. Povey at the Junior School if you would like to attend.

Year Three Class Assembly

Congratulations to Mrs. Milich and the all singing, all dancing, Year 3 students for their Assembly this week. Their interpretation of ‘Giraffes Can’t Dance’ was hugely entertaining. The students knew their lines and performed with enthusiasm. The message was an important one - Gerald is a giraffe who is tall and awkward. He is best at eating leaves from tall trees. Gerald would like to be able to dance. When he attempts to join in the dancing at the Jungle Dance, the other animals make fun of him and Gerald feels he is useless. A cricket comes along and encourages Gerald to try to dance by listening to a different song. Sceptical at first, Gerald finds his song and finds he can dance rather well.

NAPLAN Practice Tests

Today our Year 3 and Year 5 students sit practice NAPLAN assessments in readiness for the NAPLAN in early May. As in recent years, our students will use the online platform to sit the tests. Our focus remains to improve cohort results and the individual relative growth of all our students.

Years 5/6 Camp

The first camp for 2022 will see our Year 5 and Year 6 students head to Anglesea for a three-day outdoor experience with Auscamp. The students will mountain bike, surf and bushwalk their way through the Surf Coast region. Students enrolled in the COMPASS program will be able to complete the exploration section of the level 1 and 2 award. The camp will take place on April 4th, 5th and 6th.

Star Students for Week 8

Star students presented at our Week 8 Assembly:

Arthur Adamson - Year 1

Daisy Tigges - Year 1

Harry Diprose - Year 2

Tommy Brown – Year 3

Georgia Kennedy - Year 5

Hartley Johns - Year 6

Maggie Mercer - Year 6

Congratulations to Year 6 student Will Sweeney who was presented with his Level 1 Compass Award.

The Value of Reading Aloud to Your Child

You can picture it now…. You are sitting down, reading your child’s favourite story and get to the end, only for them to ask “again, again?” Internally we groan, but we love our children and want them happy AND to instil a love of reading. But repetition is actually very important!

It helps our children to learn and remember the story and it opens up more opportunities for participation and conversation. Here are some ways you may be able to extend this special time:

The first time sharing the story, you read the words.
On the second run take more time to stop, ask questions and make comments about the story, the characters and the pictures. Take time to make connections with things that are the same in your world, and maybe things that are different.
If it is the 50th repetition, you could reverse the roles and encourage your child to tell you the story in their own words. Alternatively, you could start the sentence then pause and let your child finish the sentence.

Be creative and remember that sharing stories together is special. It helps to build communication by modelling new and different words, listening and encouraging attention. Research indicates that young children whose parents read them five books a day start school having heard about 1.4 million more words than children who were never read to. (Ohio State University, 2019) Imagine that! The joyful act of reading to and with your child is not only emotionally beneficial but is also one of the most important activities you can engage in with your child to support their literacy development. So, forget flashcards and online subscriptions and games. Head off to your local library and stock up on books that you and your child can both enjoy together.

Laidlaw Fundraiser

On Friday 1 April, we will be hosting a ‘Dress in Blue’ fundraising day at the Junior School. We will be raising money for the MRI for U&I Appeal. This Appeal is aiming to bring an MRI scanner to Hamilton Base Hospital. Please dress in blue and bring a gold coin donation for this great cause. We are sure it will save many lives.

George Nicholls and Freddie Milne (Laidlaw Captains 2022)

ANZAC Day Service – Hamilton

In the school’s 150th year, we would love to see as many Junior School students as possible represent College at the ANZAC Day Service. This will be held in the days before school returns for Term 2. The march starts at 10.00am and we ask students to be dresses in their formal uniform.

Stephen Nelson

Head of Junior School

Out of School Hours Care

A reminder to all families that utilise our Out of School Hours Care program that the morning hours are 8:00 am - 8:30am and our after school hours are 3:15 pm - 5:30 pm. Children who are not collected by 5:30 pm are charged a late fee of $10.00 and then $5.00 for every 10 minutes or part thereof per child. Our OSHC staff finish their day at 5:30 pm so late pick up has an impact on their family time.

Mrs Frances O'Brien

Early Learning Centre Director

District Athletics

The Hamilton District Sports Association (HDSA) Athletics Competition was held last Thursday 17 March at Pedrina Park. The Junior School was represented by 44 athletes from Year 3 to 6.

Our students all performed absolutely beautifully at Pedrina Park in their respective events. It was a warm day and the competition by other schools was of a very high standard with many records falling on the day. Our students tried to the very best of their ability and gave it their all for the whole day. They demonstrated our motto ‘To be humble in victory and gracious in defeat’ as they made their way through their very many events, cheering each other on with gusto and celebrating our teammates success along the way. Thank you to the parents who helped near the tent and at events throughout the day. Your contribution is always much appreciated by staff and students.

Congratulations to Jack Novikov, Elsie Brown, Lachlan Reid, Lachlan Sweeney, Yolanda O’Sullivan, Grace O’Sullivan, Johnny Fenton, Sophie Satchell, Charlie Hindhaugh, Angus Reid, Poppy Shepherd, Anyemah Clottey, Imogen Johns, George Nicholls and Jimmy Dyer who all placed in their individual events.

Congratulations also to the following relay teams who placed in their respective races.

9yo Boys: Angus Reid, Johnny Fenton, Lachlan Sweeney and Tommy Brown.

10yo Boys: Jack Novikov, Finn Hawthorne, Archie Aitkin and Hugo Toma.

11yo Boys: Charlie Hindhaugh, Will Sweeney, Dru Mayfield and Jimmy Dyer.

12/13yo Boys: Lachlan Reid, George Nicholls, George Edgar and Hartley Johns.

10yo Girls: Poppy Shepherd, Ada O’Brien, Grace O’Sullivan and Jessica Templeton.

The following students have qualified to compete in Warrnambool at the GWR SSV Athletics Championships on Friday 6 May: Jack Novikov, Grace O’Sullivan Poppy Shepherd, Charlie Hindhaugh, Sophie Satchell, Yolanda O’Sullivan, Elsie Brown and Lachlan Reid.

Division Swimming

Following on from the HDSA Athletics on Thursday, the GWR SSV Swimming Championships were held the very next day on Friday 18 March in Horsham. The Hamilton and Alexandra College were represented by 12 swimmers who swam in a combination of individual and team events.

Congratulations to Poppy Shepherd who won her 9/10yo breaststroke race to qualify for the State Championships in Melbourne and to the 9/10yo Girls’ freestyle relay team (Grace O’Sullivan, Ada O’Brien, Matilda Mercer and Poppy Shepherd) for coming second in a very exciting race. Our open medley relay team consisting of Charlie Hindhaugh, Poppy Shepherd, Abigail Henderson & Sophie Satchell came third.

Well done to all other competitors on the day. This was a wonderful experience for all and a magnificent achievement to make it to this standard of event!

Mrs Louise Patterson

Junior School Sports co-ordinator

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