Myrniong - Early Learning and Primary
Notices to be Distributed
- Hockey
- Basketball – Current players
- Young Leaders’ Day – Year 5
Term Two Staffing
Miss Simone Brabham will be taking medical leave for Term Two. We wish her all the very best with her treatment, and look forward to her return in Term Three. In her absence, Mrs Peta Alexander will be replacing Miss Brabham and continuing her excellent work. Mrs Alexander is a skilled teacher with many years of classroom teaching experience across all primary year levels. She has taught in several states of Australia and in the United Kingdom. Mr Graham Lewis, Mr Stephen Nelson and Senior Campus Year 10 students Riley Alexander and Tãne Nelson will cover Miss Brabham’s Under 10’s basketball commitments for the remainder of the summer season.
Ms Valetta Bolton will be taking well-earned Long Service leave in Term Two. She heads off with her family on a European adventure. Mrs Dee Ann Gerring will be replacing Ms Bolton in the Junior School Learning Support team.
Year Five
It has been a busy term for Year Five. They have certainly hit the ground running with their leadership. On Monday 26th March, 23 students will attend the Halogen National Young Leaders’ Day at the Melbourne Exhibition and Conference Centre. The day presents opportunities for the students to meet leaders from primary schools across Victoria and also listen to a range of very motivational speakers who will outline their own leadership journey. We are confident the students will return with a plethora of leadership ideas to action.
At this week’s Junior School Assembly we presented our ‘Camp Brownlow’ medals. At the conclusion of our Cape Bridgewater camp, students, Auscamp staff and College staff voted 3,2,1 for students who had embraced all aspects of the three day outdoor experience. The students camped, cooked, caved, canoed and bushwalked in two distinct groups, ‘Yellow Village’ and ‘Purple Village’. Winners for 2018 were ‘Yellow Village’s’ Ava Mould and ‘Purple Village’s’ Justin Hawker. Congratulations to both students for being excellent ambassadors for the College.
Early Learning Centre Italian Odyssey
In mid-April, Early Learning Centre Director Mrs Frances O’Brien will be undertaking an exciting and thought provoking study tour to Reggio Emilia in northern Italy. Our three and four year old programs embrace the Reggio Emilia educational philosophy and the trip is an opportunity for Mrs O’Brien to observe, gather ideas and share collegial discussions with Reggio educators from across Australia and around the world. There are 120 Australian tour participants joining nearly 400 internationally for the study tour this year.
The schools in Reggio Emilia have developed in direct response to beliefs held about the purpose of education, and in response to the specific cultural, geographic, political, economic and historical experiences of a small city in Northern Italy. This history combined with the fact that the theories, ideas and practices in the schools are always changing and evolving, means that the schools cannot provide a model for practice in Australia, nor a tool for the marketing of schools. Rather they offer an inspiration and a provocation for our own thinking and practice.
I am sure the study tour will also vindicate the wonderful program and initiatives that Frances and her dedicated and talented staff offer our youngest College students. -‘buon viaggio’.
Naplan Online Trial
On Thursday, our Year Three class participated in an online NAPLAN trial. The purpose of this trial was for the VCAA to test its systems in preparation for the first outing of online NAPLAN testing in Victoria. In May our Year Three students will use pencil and paper for the Writing paper, but sit the Reading, Mathematics and Language Conventions online. Our Year Five students will sit all papers online.
Mr Stephen Nelson
Head of Junior School
Division Tennis
Miranda Page recently represented The Hamilton and Alexandra College in the SSV Combined Division Tennis Championships, held in Warrnambool. Miranda played well at all stages and completed her day with a tight final round play-off, finishing in fourth position overall. An outstanding achievement.
Mrs Louise Patterson
Junior School Sports Co-ordinator