Junior School update
Vicky Gemmell and Jacqui Sidaway
A Touch of the Wild update
After our very successful service-learning event, led by Perinne B and London K last term to raise funds for endangered Australian animals, we received the letter copied below from the Moonlight Sanctuary. Shelford students are now the proud adoptive sponsors of the sanctuary’s Dingoes, Swift Parrot, Murray Darling Python and – as a surprise – a Tawny Frogmouth. (We had been expecting a Growling Bullfrog, but perhaps the Tawny Frogmouth had the greater need.)
Dear Shelford Girls' Grammar,
On behalf of all of us at Moonlit Sanctuary we sincerely thank you for your very kind & generous sponsorship of our animals.
Your support contributes directly to our conservation and education programs. We are a private organisation with no government funding, so your valuable support makes this important work possible. Whether threatened or common, our animals are great ambassadors for their wild cousins.
Please find attached your certificates, photos and information sheets about your sponsored animals.
Once again, we thank you for your amazing support. We hope to see you soon.
Kind regards,
Fiona from the Moonlit Team
Our friends from Your Place
On Friday, the Prep and Year 1’s had a delightful picnic lunch and play on the Shelford oval with our 4-year-old kinder friends from Your Place ELC.
Swimming champions!
Abbey M and Rose B competed at MSAC in the Metro South District Championships last weekend. Both girls competed fiercely in the girls’ 11 years and under with Abbey taking out 1st place in freestyle and 3rd place in butterfly and backstroke.
Chess Club
Easily one of the most favoured after school activities, Chess Club goes from strength to strength with a group of enthusiastic budding Shelford chess masters.
JDC Taste Testing
Prep and Year 1 have been reading and writing procedural texts. Inspired by the book, ‘Market Day’, they became ‘fruit taste testers.’
How to be a Fruit Taste Tester by Prep and Year 1
- First, chop up the fruit.
- Next, tip the fruit into bowls.
- Then, pop blind folds on.
- Finally, taste and guess the fruit!
Congratulations, Alexandra C, Shark Tank winner
We warmly welcomed Ritaka Walia of the Shelford Parents’ Association to the JS Chapel service on Friday. Ritaka announced the winner of last term’s Shark Tank competition: Year 4’s Alexandra C whose proposal that SPA’s donation of $500 be spent on a Friendship Bench, which will help ensure students who are looking for someone to play with are supported.
Year 4 STEM
During the last week of Term 3, Year 4 students participated in a STEM Day which required them to complete scientific experiments and engineering tasks using the Design Thinking Process – Ask, Imagine, Plan, Create and Improve. They investigated transpiration using food colouring and white carnations, insulation using ice and craft materials, and built 3D structures out of 2D shapes that they imagined could survive an earthquake or tremor.
Bebras Round 2
Last term, 27 students in Years 3 to 6 participated in Round 2 of the Bebras Challenge run by CSIRO. The challenge aims to promote computer science and computational thinking by asking students to complete a series of logic puzzles.
Special congratulations to Ariana F, Aiai W and Sylvie M who received High Distinction.
Year 5 and 6 Talk Money Workshops
This term, students participated in two Talk Money workshops from the Ecstra Foundation. They learnt how to save, manage, and spend money. Students also discussed how to manage needs versus wants and the digitisation of money.
I liked the idea of saving every $1 and $2 coin in a bottle – you can save so much! – Lina
In the Talk Money Workshop we learnt how to keep two jars filled with money: one jar should be full of the money you’re planning to spend and the other one contains the money you’re going to save. – Anushka
I liked how they taught us to be safe while spending our money using the ‘HEARD’ strategy. – Greta
Music in the Junior School
Second semester is always an exciting time in the year when practising begins to pay off with some lovely performances. In addition to our major ensemble concerts last term, the Bands and Strings Concert and the Choral Concert, we have also enjoyed listening to the following solo performances in Junior School Chapel Services and Assemblies, all accompanied by Ms Kathryn Pisani.
- Sylvie M, Year 5, cello solo: Sonata No. 5, 2nd movt by Vivaldi.
- Miranda S, Year 4 and Oliva S, Year 2, violin duet: Pupil’s concerto No. 2 by Friedrich Seitz
- Charlotte C, Year 3, violin solo: Ode to Joy by Beethoven
- Clara B, Year 5, clarinet solo: Hava Nagila (trad)
- Ashleigh W, Year 4: Footprints in the Snow by Thomas Gregory
- Francesca W, Year 6, clarinet solo: To France
- Olivia B, Year 5, violin solo: Galop by Carl Bohm
Soloists have also featured at a range of recitals:
- Our Junior School Piano Recital, 5 September featured 28 performers ranging from Prep–Year 6.
- Instrumental staff ran successful in-house lunchtime recitals where both Senior and Junior students were able to watch each other perform solo pieces in a supportive environment.
- Congratulations to those selected students who performed for the school community at The String Soloists’ Concert organised by Ms Ruth Dixon-Lawrence, held on 8 September: Olivia B, Year 5; Jocelyn J, Year 6; and Miranda S, Year 4.
We extend our best wishes to all of those Junior School students who have AMEB practical exams coming up. And we are all working hard on our items for Presentation Evening, Year 6 Graduation Service and Christmas celebrations. We can’t wait to share them with you!
Ms Jenni Thom
Junior School Music Coordinator
Vicky Gemmell
Head of Junior School – Student Wellbeing and Development
Jacqui Sidaway
Head of Junior School – Curriculum and Innovation