05 June 2020
Wednesday 27 May to Wednesday 3 June was National Reconciliation Week across Australia. Our Junior School community has used this time to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements and explore how we can contribute towards achieving reconciliation in Australia. Our younger students have been listening and responding to the Little Yarns podcast and Indigenous stories, making links between places that are special and significant to the them and to Indigenous Australians. Our Year 3 – 6 students, inspired by the Ziggy Alberts song Together, have been making pledges on our ‘In this together pledge wall’ in the spirit of reconciliation.
Shaarav Reddy, who won our Year 6 Junior Orator competition, presented his speech in Assembly last Friday. His topic was ‘From little things big things grow: How one person can make a difference on a current issue.’ In his conclusion he referenced the song written by Paul Kelly about an Indigenous elder, Vincent Lingiari and the Gurindji people’s struggle to get their land back. I would like to share Shaarav’s conclusion to the talk that he presented. I feel that it has relevance to reconciliation and to what our community of learners should aspire to.
“He and his people had a cause they believed in. They dared to stand up against the might of money, power and politics and keep standing when many of us would have given up long ago. These traits of integrity, honesty, hard work and perseverance can make a world of difference in our lives and see our tiny ideas transformed into reality. Abraham Lincoln once said: ‘Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.’ Start by believing in your cause, however small that may be, and change will happen.”
Congratulations Shaarav on a well constructed and presented speech!
House Cross Country Results
Week 3 of Term 2 saw the boys from Years 3 – 6 compete in the annual Junior School House Cross Country. This year saw a very different event due to the restrictions in place. This meant that there were no spectators cheering on all our runners. The boys ran in their year of birth over distances of 3km, 2km and 1km.
The course the boys ran was set out over one kilometre and their laps determined by the length of their race. All the boys are to be congratulated on their efforts throughout the event as they all strived to do the best for their House.
A special thank you to Mr Becker for his help in setting up the course. Thank you also to all the Junior School staff for their involvement and support of the day and their willingness to adjust to the change of the program.
Special congratulations go to the following boys for placing in the top 3 for their age group races.
12 year olds:
- 1st Jack Hollington
- 2nd Oliver Maung
- 3rd Lockie McKenna
11 year olds:
- 1st Leo Dreosti
- 2nd Joshua Maung
- 3rd James Tolis
10 year olds:
- 1st Justin Scarpin
- 2nd Andrew Lucas
- 3rd Sebastian Gilbert
9 year olds:
- 1st Hamish Hill
- 2nd Henry Morfesi
- 3rd Nicholas Corbet
8 year olds:
- 1st Ziggy McKenna
- 2nd Hugo Yates
- 3rd Fred Fairweather
The overall winning House for 2020 was Brooks, 2nd was Alliston-Jones, 3rd place was Stokes-Ware, with Clayton-Dyer coming 4th.
A special inclusion this year was the introduction of the Palm House boys running a modified course for their first every cross country event. All the boys from Palm House were extremely excited to be involved and showed great determination to complete their runs. It was so great to see every boy that ran past the finish line had a big smile on their faces.
Car Park Drop off and Pick Up: Update
Thank you for continuing to help us promote physical distancing during drop off and pick up. Please continue to follow the procedures previously outlined in our Term 2 arrangements email. We will be reverting to our regular pick up times starting on Monday 25 May.
Drop Off
Staff are ready to welcome students in classrooms from 8:15am.
Parents are not to leave their cars when using the drop off zones:
– Sports Centre/Uniform Shop Carpark
– The Avenue
– Junior School Carpark
Boys will continue to use external doors to enter their classrooms to avoid any congestion at main entrances. Reception students enter at the Junior Primary Courtyard, Year 4s enter at the western entrance of Bickersteth and Year 5 boys enter at the eastern staircase of Bickersteth.
Pick Up
3:00pm: Reception students collected from Junior Primary Courtyard
3:00pm: Year 1 and 2 students collected from external classroom doors.
3:15pm: Year 3, 4, 5, 6 students collected from Sports Centre/Uniform Shop, the Avenue or Junior School Carpark.
Years 3 – 6 parents: please tell your son where you intend to meet them.
If you have children in multiple year levels please collect all your children at the time your youngest child is dismissed. Please communicate with your sons’ teachers to indicate if they will need an early dismissal. Years 4, 5 and 6 children will only be dismissed to the pick-up zones before 3:15pm with prior communication from parents. Please ensure your son is aware of your intended collection point.
Please do not congregate or remain in any of the pick-up areas and maintain social distancing from other parents and students. Please do not enter classrooms to pick up your son. Please return to your car as quickly as possible. Although the playgrounds are now open, they are not to be used after the school day.
Early Learning Centre: Please drop off and collect your sons at the external doors of their classrooms.
Winter Uniform Expectations
A friendly reminder that all boys should be wearing their full winter uniform in Terms 2 and 3.
- a blue and white striped long sleeve banded shirt with St Peter’s College tie
- winter grey shorts
- long winter socks and black shoes
- boys in Reception and Year 1 may wear black shoes with Velcro straps
- students in Years 3 – 6 wear the blazer to and from school
- on PE days, boys may wear their sports uniform to and from school
Please arrange an appointment at the Uniform Shop by visiting: https://keystone-apps.stpeters.sa.edu.au/uniformshop
Code Camp Virtual School Holiday Camp
If your son is interested in participating in the July School Holiday Virtual Code Camp please click on this link to find out more about what Code Camp can offer. Please remember that my door is always open and that I always welcome your feedback and questions.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Jasmine Taylor
Head of Junior School