Junior School News

From the Head of Junior School

There is a very different energy around the school now that we have all of our students back. A school without students is not normal. The laughter and vibrant energy children bring to the classrooms and playgrounds is what makes a school. We are working very hard to help our students transition quickly back to face to face learning and are very conscious of maintaining high standards of Covid hygiene and safety to ensure that we can stay teaching and learning face to face. Students are being asked to sanitise on entry to the school, on entry to their classes and when leaving the class. All students in Year 3 to 6 are required to wear facemasks unless they have a medical exemption and all students in the younger year levels are being encouraged to wear face masks. For some, it took a day or two to get used to it, but they have adjusted very well. Thank you to the Cotter family for their kind donation of masks.

While we are glad to be able to return to some normality in terms of having all students onsite and being able to attend excursions and camps there are still some restrictions that we will need to follow, hopefully in the short term. We are still limiting visitors at the school. This means that we are still asking that parents do not come onsite unless it is absolutely necessary. This is particularly important in the morning at drop off times and in the afternoon at pick up times. Parents who need to drop off or pick up students once the school day has started can ring Junior School Reception and a staff member will come to the gate. 

We are able to run some events face to face but community density limits still apply where we have external visitors attending. Our school has made the decision that any student assemblies will only occur outdoors. This means that our Friday Assemblies will still be via Zoom at this stage. We are planning to have a Junior School Remembrance Day Service outside in Week 6 which will be recorded and uploaded to the website. This will probably be our first whole Junior School Assembly since Term 2 and one that we are looking forward to. 

Unfortunately, due to current density limits, we have had to adjust some of the events that would normally occur at the end of the year. We cannot have our normal Art Show. Mrs James has been planning an event that will allow parents to view their child’s artwork through some installations around the school surroundings. There will be more information to come shortly. We have also adjusted the planning for the Junior School Production. As we cannot have external visitors in the audience we will be performing the show to a student audience and filming it for parents. We have planned a Year Six Presentation Lunch for students with the presentation that would normally be held for parents after the dinner to now be filmed and uploaded for parents to access. Each time we are faced with restrictions that preclude the running of a normal event we identify the important outcomes of the event and then plan alternatives that meet the outcomes but that are also permissible within the restrictions. We are looking forward to being able to celebrate the end of year milestones in whatever form they take.

Mr Donald Thompson

Head of Junior School

Junior School French

Mademoiselle Bissonnier has had to take a period of unexpected leave so is not teaching Junior School French at the moment. We are very fortunate to have secured two experienced teachers of French to cover the classes in the interim. Mrs Rice will be taking some of the classes on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday around her Drama teaching load and we welcome Mrs Capicchiano to the school to teach classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. 

Camps

We received wonderful news this week that school camps can recommence. Camps that have been impacted by covid, have been rescheduled to ensure all Junior School students get to experience their school camp in 2021. 

Preparatory students had their first camp experience this week with their Extended Stay at School. They remained at school after everyone else went home and had the run of the school.  Mrs James treated them to an Indigenous-based art activity, after which they enjoyed an icy pole. They then played on the oval, spreading out with nobody else around. An alphabet treasure hunt kept them busy before their dinner arrived.  Thank you to Michael and Di Van Haandal of Clogs for the pizza dinner which was well received by the Prep students.  The students finished the evening with a movie before being collected by parents, tired and ready for their rest day on Wednesday.

Year Three, Four and Five will head off to camp next week with Year Two heading off in a couple of weeks.   

Co-connect in Junior School

Co-connect in the Junior School is in the format of lunchtime activities. The students have been enjoying these activities throughout the year in between remote learning. The activities have given the students a number of enjoyable options to immerse in over lunchtime and promoted not only friendships but leadership opportunities for our Year Six students as well. Students can learn coding, chess, soccer skills, dancing and do mindful colouring. The activities have helped students to get back into the routine of school and build relationships through common interests. 

12.35 pm every day!

Monday: Chess Club

Tuesday: Dance

Wednesday: Mindful Colouring

Thursday: Coding

Friday: Soccer Skills