Junior School
From the Head of Junior School
Welcome back! It’s a lovely feature of every first week of term to hear the excited conversations between students, and parents too, as they catch up with friends and share stories of their break. I hope it was a restful and enjoyable break for you and your family. Term Four has much to look forward to across all the year levels, but each class also will have their own special features for each student to enjoy too.
A quick snapshot of the term ahead. First week back we’ve been resetting into routines again, welcoming new students, and introducing final inquiry topics for the year.
Term Four is known for having quite a few events, but these are largely held in the final two weeks intentionally so that the first six weeks of term are a continuation of our regular learning programme with immense value. Our message to students is that we are always in ‘learning’ mode. The literacy and numeracy programme form a regular part of our every day, typically in the morning and middle blocks of the day, followed by integrated inquiry units for the broader subject areas largely driven by the Humanities. For inquiry units this term cohorts will be exploring:
Djinda/Kindergarten – How our Emergency Services help us.
Pre-Primary – Exploring how things move.
Year One – What is a celebration and how we celebrate?
Year Two – What makes me, me? Reflecting on our journey through ECC.
Year Three – How we are ourselves in another culture.
Year Four – Decisions about money shape our daily life.
Year Five – Exploration and ingenuity can lead to significant change.
Year Six – Who we are, and the influences that have shaped us as young learners
Also, this week Student Leaders for the Secondary School in 2023 were announced. This term our Year Five students will have the opportunity to nominate themselves for a leadership role as a Primary School leader for 2023. It has been lovely to see our Year Fives transition this year from middle Primary to upper Primary students, naturally taking on more responsibility, care and role modelling for the younger students in our school. They will be a wonderful cohort to lead the Primary School in 2023.
In Week Two, our Year Six cohort is travelling to Rottnest Island for their camp. This is a significant milestone moment for them, spending a week away from families, growing with their own independence and further developing their confidence as they prepare to move into a new part of the school in 2023. We wish them well for the week away and look forward to hearing stories of their adventures at assembly in Week Three. Also in Week Two is the Valedictory assembly for the Year Twelve cohort. Our Junior School classes from Years Three to Five will be in attendance for the ceremony followed by all students Djinda to Year Five for the guard of honour. It’s a lovely moment for the Year Twelve students especially, but for all students to see the journey that they themselves will make in the not too distant future.
In Week Three, the rescheduled Community Wild Space walk will be held on Thursday 27 October 3.30pm to 5.00pm, and the Junior School BBQ on Friday 28 October 3.00pm to 4.00pm. These are lovely community events with the Wild Space walk celebrating the incredible natural features along Oyster Harbour that we have, then the Junior School BBQ on Friday an informal opportunity for families and students to mingle in the ECC playground after school and catch up. Come to one or the other, or both, these are nice opportunities to enjoy our space together and the students really appreciate sharing their world with us.
In Week Four, on Tuesday 1 November we will hold our Junior School Interhouse Athletics carnival with activities and events for all students from Kindergarten to Year Six. Families are most welcome to join for part or all of the day. Mr Stephen Berryman, Junior School Physical Education teacher will share more information closer to the event and ask for volunteers to assist with the day. Please feel comfortable making contact with Mr Berryman if you would like to assist in some way, he can be contacted via email Stephen.berryman@gsg.wa.edu.au
Also in Week Four on Thursday 3 November 2.15pm to 3.30pm, we plan to hold our first Year Two celebration event. This is a relatively informal occasion for families of Year Two to share with their children to recognise the milestone moment of Year Two finishing their Early Childhood Centre journey and moving into the Middle Primary years. For students, this is a significant developmental step, and for families too one of the ‘milestone moments’ in their child's life. The Kindergarten to Year Two will hold a short assembly in the ECC building before symbolically wishing the Year Twos well with a guard of honour to the Year Three to Five building where the students and teachers in that area will welcome them together with their families. Afterwards, parents will enjoy an afternoon tea with their children. It’s a small but meaningful gesture for the Year Two students that we value what they have contributed to the ECC over the past four years and wish them well for the next stage of their journey into Year Three.
In Week Five we recognise Remembrance Day on Thursday 11 November with a short, whole school service. Then Friday we have a pupil free day for the Albany Show weekend.
Week Six begins our preparations for 2023 with Orientation Day on Friday 18 November. This is an exciting day for students as they begin to see themselves moving up a year level. We also welcome new students on this day who will be joining us in 2023, this is a lovely opportunity for them to become familiar with the classrooms and playground, and most importantly get to know a few names of students so they feel comfortable beginning the new year with a few friends. All classes begin the day with their current teacher, mark the roll, then move up to the following year level for the morning and learn about all the exciting features of that year level. After morning tea, students return back to their current classrooms for the remainder of the day.
Week Seven is the start of the two week block of Interm Swimming programme. Each day, every class will travel from GSG via bus to Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre (ALAC) for swimming lessons. This is an important water safety programme for all students, but also a lovely way to finish the final two weeks of term with a swim each day.
Week Eight starts the final phase of the year with events and celebrations. On Wednesday 30 November the ECC will hold their Beach Fun Day at Emu Point. Students in the ECC travel from GSG to Emu Point in the morning, enjoy a series of activities together and a shared lunch before travelling to ALAC for their swimming lesson in the afternoon. It’s a full day for our younger students, but they love it all.
Also in Week Eight, on Friday 2 December 4.00pm to 6.00pm the Year Six cohort hold their Celebration and Exhibition evening for their families. This is a significant milestone moment for Year Six as they celebrate their Junior School culmination with an Exhibition evening where they showcase their learning from the final unit of inquiry for the year – Who We Are, an inquiry into who they are as young learners moving from Junior School into Secondary school and what has shaped their personalities and interests at this phase of their lives. It’s a wonderful moment of reflection on their Junior School years for their families to enjoy.
Finally, Week Nine, last week of the year. On Monday 5 December at 10.15am all members of the community are invited to a whole school Christmas Chapel service in the Multi-Purpose Sport Complex. On Tuesday 6 December, final day for Junior School students, we hold a Junior School Awards Ceremony at 9.00am in the Multi-Purpose Sport Complex to recognise the achievements of all students throughout the year, followed by a Christmas Concert at 11.00am where each class performs an item to celebrate the year and have some fun. It’s a lovely and fitting finale to the year for the whole community, and a ‘must see’ if you’re able to attend.
Term Four is a fabulous term, certainly action packed in the final few weeks but mostly a continuation of the valuable learning programme for the first six weeks, as we’ve operated throughout the year. As always, if you have any questions or would like clarification around any particular matters please feel comfortable making contact with either myself or your child's classroom teacher. My sincerest best wishes for the term ahead.
Warms regards, and appreciation,
Mr Ken Raven | Head of Junior School