Learning Across the 

Junior School

From the Head of Junior School and Early Learning

Through exploration, design thinking and problem solving our students are learning how to create solutions with digital technologies while also developing their knowledge and of digital systems, data, and computational thinking.

Digital Technologies more specifically aims to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to ensure that, individually and collaboratively, students:

• design, create, manage, and evaluate sustainable and innovative digital solutions to meet and redefine current and future needs.
• use computational thinking and the key concepts of abstraction; data collection, representation, and interpretation; specification, algorithms, and implementation to create digital solutions.
• confidently use digital systems to efficiently and effectively automate the transformation of data into information and to creatively communicate ideas in a range of settings.
• apply protocols and legal practices that support safe, ethical, and respectful communications and collaboration with known and unknown audiences.
• apply systems thinking to monitor, analyse, predict, and shape the interactions within and between information systems and the impact of these systems on individuals, societies, economies, and environments.

When we introduce our girls to new apps and programs, we do so with careful consideration to their educational suitability and age appropriateness. We also explicitly teach our girls about responsible behaviours when using digital technologies and online safety practices.

Next week, our Year 4-6 classes will be participating in Cybersafe sessions held by Cybersafe Families http://cybersafefamilies.com.au a company certified by the Children’s eSafety Commissioner to provide online safety programs to South Australian schools. The aim of these sessions is to support positive online experiences and digital citizenship by encouraging students to navigate their way around their online world with responsibility, resilience, respect, and empathy. Each session is age appropriate, customised, interactive and engaging for the students and covers the latest up to date information to complement the already valuable messages being shared by our teachers.

The student sessions will include the following topics: 

• Digital reputation
• Online Gaming
• Social Media dos and don’ts
• Cyber bullying
• Online Grooming
• Strategies for online wellbeing and screen time management
• Staying within the law
• Online security and privacy, protecting personal information.
• Ways to stay safe where to seek help.

In Term 2, Cybersafe Families will also be holding a parent workshop at the College, further information to follow soon. For a range of parent resources and useful cybersafe tips please also visit their website https://cybersafefamilies.com.au/resources/ 

The e-Safety Commissioner website is also an excellent Australian Government resource, which holds a wealth of information for parents on how to manage devices with children of all ages. The iParent portal has been created as part of this website and we strongly recommend that you go to https://esafety.gov.au/iparent and view the information available.

Ms Marika Snell

Head of Junior School and Early Learning

ASO "The Bush Concert"

On Wednesday, members of the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra came to Loreto College and performed “The Bush Concert”, based on the book by Helga Visser. Instruments included the string section, percussion, Trombone, Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet, Bassoon and Voice. The preschool, Reception, Year 1, Year 2, Year 3 and Year 5 students attended this performance. They had participated in prior learning activities, which meant they were able to join in with many of the songs and dance to the music. Thank you to Ms Schulz for organising the incursion.

Here is what some of the students in year 3 wrote about the concert:

• Emma: The viola dn the cello were my favourite, because I’m learning the viola and the girl who was playing the cello played the song Peppa Pig. 
• Yasmine: I loved the Gum Tree song because I was not expecting it to be really really fast. 
• Sienna: I liked the mini flute because it looked cute and funny.
• Annabelle: I liked the cello best because the girl who played was so good at the music. We go to dance like a Bush Turkey and the best bit was when the rain came down.
• Amelia: I liked the flute best because it could play some really high notes and some low notes.
• Lucinda: The best bit was the Brush Turkey dance because it was funny seeing peoples ideas for the bird poses. It was so funny!
• Tiana: I loved the creative animals and they put on an extremely fun show to cheer them up and the people played instruments.
• Amelia L: The concert was colourful and cheerful and pretty! The best bit was when it rained at the bird concert.
• Evie: I liked the percussion because the drums made a really good sound.
• Josie: It was lovely to see the instruments. I liked expressing myself with the music.
• Ellie: My class in music this year are learning to play strings and it was really cool to see violin, viola and cello play amazing songs! 

Ms Lisa Schulz

Music Teacher

Year 1 Walkathon

On Tuesday, the Year 1 Students went on a ‘Walkathon’ to raise money for Project Compassion. The students walked in small groups and used their learning in Inquiry to read a map and follow the instructions to make their way to Tusmore Park. It was fabulous to see the girls practising their road safety skills, they learnt last week at our excursion to the Road Safety Centre, as they crossed the roads using the phrase: Stop, Look, Listen, Think before they crossed a road! At the park, the students had a picnic lunch and received a special ‘snack box’ treat. Of course, the girls had fun playing on the playground and in and around the dry creek area. It was a fabulous day and successful fundraiser for the Year 1 students.

Ms Claire Derrington

Year 1 Teacher 

Camp Australia

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Road Safety Centre

Last week the Year One Students went on an excursion to the Road Safety Centre as a part of our learning in Inquiry. This term the Year One Inquiry Big Idea is ‘People work together in communities’. The students were excited to learn how to keep safe in our community. A police office, along with Jeff the Dog taught the girls how to cross the road safely, what to do in an emergency, how to travel in a car safety and then how to ride a bike safely. The girls loved practicing their road safety skills in the practical part of the session. After the session, we had a picnic lunch and a play at the Bonython Playground.   

Ms Claire Derrington and Ms Georgia Eliades

Learning in Year 5

The Junior School has enjoyed so many wonderful moments over the last term! Our biggest highlights were of course the R-12 Athletics Carnival and the 4-6 Swimming Carnival. Both events showcased the spirit of Loreto girls, with most of our students left unable to walk or talk after having 'screamed their lungs out' and 'run their legs off'. The Year 5s demonstrated perseverance and bucket loads of joy. 

We all know these events are impossible without the dedicated PE department organising such events. A big thanks to Ms Molly Scott, Mrs Mandy Braddock, Mr Ben Johnswood and everyone else who worked tirelessly for us to engage in so many wonderful opportunities. 

In addition to these events, the Year 5 girls also completed their NAPLAN assessments this week. All students showed up every day with a positive disposition to showcase what they know. While they experienced some setbacks, including delays in their final Numeracy assessment on Monday due to the school-wide power outage, they were flexible and understanding in finishing by Wednesday. A big well done to all our Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students on completing quite a taxing assessment period. 

This term has been spotted with many highlights and the quality of the work produced has demonstrated how Loreto students strive for success across many areas of their lives. It has been so wonderful watching so many new and ongoing students' blossom. Ms Isabelle Zappia and I look forward to much more growth in the future! 

A few of our girls have written up some newsletter submissions. Please enjoy them 😊

I have really enjoyed everything that we have been learning about in class, but one of my favourite things we have learnt about so far is the Gold Rush in Inquiry. I have learnt so many new things in that one topic, such as that it started in the 1850s and that there was gold in every state and territory in Australia, even in Tasmania! I also learnt that people risked a lot to be part of the Gold Rush in Australia, choice that caused many people to sell their belongings to fly to the gold mining places. But, they didn’t even know if they would get anything!

I'm also having fun preparing for our Project Compassion fundraising day in Religion. It also feels good to raise money for those in need.

From Kalani 🙂

As we started a new chapter of our journey towards becoming a passionate Loreto girl, the year 5 girls have been introduced to a new learning experience called Classroom Economy.  Classroom Economy is a tool for learning how to spend and save money. At the start of the year, our girls had to learn that adults have jobs and responsibilities. Our teachers got the girls to each have their own job. Students use their mathematical knowledge of Australian Money by using fake money to rent their desks like adults have to rent or pay for their houses, spending money on 'supplies' in the form of lollies and there are even more bigger prizes for girls who save their money. Overall, it is really fun! I hope we have the best time in the next few weeks with camp and our liturgy.

From Adella

This term in Inquiry we have been learning about the Choices and Challenges of Colonisation. In SEAD, we have been learning to identify our strenghts. In Spelling we have been learning to sort out words into different groups. In English we have been learning about the different text structures of narratives and persuasive texts. 

The best part of the term was getting to know new people and getting to know our wonderful teachers Ms Zappia and Ms San Miguel. 

From Rudi

Ms Esther San Miguel and Ms Isabelle Zappia