Notices Sent Home

Canberra Camp – Year 6
Speech Day invitations – Prep to Year 6 families
Dinner invitations – Year 6 families
Christmas Parade – Piccino to Year 2

Dates to Remember

Monday 18th November – Year Six Class Assembly 2:20 pm. Basketball finals at H.I.L.A.C.

Tuesday 19th November – Year 6 2020 Captaincy interviews

Tuesday 19th November – Chamber Singers rehearsal 3:15 pm to 4:30 pm

Wednesday, 20th November – Blessing of the Pets 9:00 am

Thursday November 21st – Combined Schools Carol Festival at St Mary’s Church - 1.30 pm

Friday November 22nd – House Public Speaking Final - 2.20 pm

2020 Staffing

Today was Orientation Day at the Junior School. Our Year Six students moved up to MYPEC and Year 7 for the day. No doubt they are looking forward to the year ahead and the challenges of starting their Senior School journey. Prep to Year Five students moved up to their 2020 classes and met their new teachers.

Prep - Mrs Sharon Kelly

Year 1 - Mrs Penny Callinan (3 days) and Mrs Peta Alexander (2 days)

Year 2 - Ms Simone Brabham

Year 3 – Mrs Bernadette Milich

Year 4 - Ms Sophie Ross

Year 5 - Mrs Anna Robertson (2 days) and Mr Graham Lewis (3 days)

Year 5 - Ms Patricia See

Year 6 - Mr Nick Palmer

Specialist Teachers

P.E. - Mrs Louise Patterson

Music - Mrs Anne Kristin Christie

Art - Mrs Bec Cameron and Mrs Lisa Addinsall

Chinese - Ms Callena Vaughan

Learning Support Team

Ms Valetta Bolton

Mrs Lou Drummond

Mrs Rosana Marshall

Mrs Bernadine Kelvy

Mrs Anna Robertson (1 day)

Early Learning Centre

Mrs Frances O’Brien - Director

Mrs Gabbi Bench

Mrs Katrina Bull

Ms Katrina Arnell

Ms Nadine Stewart

Sporting Success

Each week we have students compete in a plethora of sports across regional Victoria. Recently, Year Six twins Chloe and Skye Headlam took part in the WAG Junior Victorian Gymnastics Championships in Geelong. The girls completed rotations of floor, beam, uneven bars and vault. Chloe finished 4th, with a combined score of 35.950. Her best score was 9.100 on the floor. Skye finished tied for 5th with a score of 35.925. Her best score was 9.152, also on the floor. Well done Chloe and Skye.

Fellow Year Six student Annabel O’Toole recently contested a sailing regatta in Stawell. This was a five race series over the two days, with a strong wind on the Sunday. Annabel competed in a single handed dinghy. She finished the regatta in equal second place. In difficult conditions, Annabel showed great fortitude and determination. Well done Annabel.

ICAS Science Success

The following students achieved excellent results in the recent ICAS Science competition.

Year 2 - Andrew Sun (Distinction) and Sophie Satchell (Merit)

Year 3 - Frederick Milne (Distinction)

Year 4 - Rupert Merrin (Credit)

Year 5 - Harriet Nicholls and Dougal White (Merit)

Year 6 - Annabel O’Toole (Distinction), Emma Donovan and Jock Nicholls (Credit) and Daniel Hillam and Sophie Merrin (Merit)

2020 Junior School Bell Times

After a long consultation process, the Junior School will alter its bell times in 2020. The new session times will allow for more peak learning time before lunch and a shorter afternoon session. We will retain our current recess break of 30 minutes and lunch break of 50 minutes. The change will align the Junior School lunch time with the Senior Campus, opening up the door to cross-campus opportunities such as combined House activities.

8.55 am to 10.50 am (115 minutes)

11.20 am to 1.00 pm (100 minutes)

1.50 pm to 3.15 pm (85 mins)

Piccino Online Survey

Thank you to the parents that have completed the online survey. Feedback from families is important and helps to shape our ongoing programs and offerings. If you haven’t completed the survey yet, please check your emails and complete it before 5:00 pm on Sunday, 17th November. It is anonymous and only takes 5 minutes. Thanks for your support.

St Mary's Christmas Parade

In previous years, we have entered an item into the St Mary’s Christmas Street Parade and the children don their Nativity costumes and walk behind our school banner. This year, Zoe Price has kindly agreed to co-ordinate our student’s involvement. The parade is Friday, 6th December commencing at 6:00 pm. Participating students and parents should meet Stephen Nelson, Zoe and Stella Reid at 5:40 pm at the corner of Gray and Kennedy Streets (inside the Gray Street Primary School yard), where they will help organise the children. A note was sent home with students this week seeking expressions of interest for participation in the Parade. Please return this to Nat Povey as soon as possible.

Young House Stationery Drive

Young House are working in partnership with the Uniting Church to create stationery packages for those in our community who are finding it difficult to purchase the necessary items for school.

We are asking our Young House families and the wider school community to help with this project.

Please place any spare stationery items, such as pencils, textas, note books, etc. that you are willing to donate, into the box at the front reception. They can be used items. We will tidy them up and make them look presentable and ready for use.

Thank you for your support.

Emma Donovan and George Huf

Young House Captains

Berry House Service

Congratulations to the students and staff of Berry House on a fabulous House Service on Wednesday. The theme of ‘Acceptance’ was presented to the congregation via poems, songs, Bible readings, story interpretations and reflections. It was terrific that Senior Berry Captains Millie Austin and Sean Cashill could join the Junior School students and present some thoughts on ‘Acceptance’. All children in the House were given the opportunity to contribute. Well done to Miss Ross, Miss See, Mrs Drummond and Mrs Milich.

Library Books

After Friday, November 20th, there will be no further borrowing from the Junior school Library. All books borrowed by students in 2019 are asked to be returned after this date.

Stephen Nelson

Head of Junior School

The Hamilton and Alexandra College Newsletter

Issue 34 · 14 Nov 2019

In this issue