Junior School, Term 2 Week 3

Rock and Water – Social Skills program
Term 2 will see the children in Years 3-6 involved in the “Rock and Water” social skills program. This program is led by Jack Rau from ‘Connected Self’ and is a firm favourite with the children who eagerly look forward to participating in these lessons.

The program provides young people with a pathway to self-awareness and increased self-confidence and social functioning. It is based upon a psycho-physical approach. That is, the program contains a large number of experiential exercises that support children to develop self-awareness through physical exercises. Its aim is to support young people develop:

• Body awareness – to support young people to become “in-tune” with their body, including body language, posture, breathing and physical sensations (e.g. stress and anger).
• Emotional awareness – to support young people to learn to understand and identify emotions (e.g. anger) within their body (body awareness is a prerequisite to emotional awareness).
• Self-awareness – this is the process by which young people combine body and emotional awareness with their thought processes, and through this, are able to manage and regulate their emotions/behaviours as they relate to their environment

Reception Excursion –Adelaide Botanic Gardens
On Tuesday 28 June the Reception classes will be visiting the Adelaide Botanic Gardens to explore ‘Living Things’ and join in with the ‘Little Sprouts Kitchen Garden Learning Program’.  This excursion will help the children to further their understanding of the Science curriculum introduced this term.

Parents of students in the Reception classes are asked to click on this excursion link to access further information regarding the excursion and to provide consent for their child to attend the excursion.

Year 5 and 6 – Mamma Mia Musical
Students in Years 5 and 6 have been invited to attend the dress rehearsal matinee of the first two acts of Pulteney’s school production of  ‘Mamma Mia’ at the Norwood Town Hall on Thursday 26 May. Students will have an early lunch before travelling by bus to the performance. Class teachers will accompany the children who will return to school in time for normal dismissal.

Parents of students in the Year 5 and 6 classes are invited to click on this link to access further information regarding the excursion and to provide consent for thier child to attend.

Year 4 Camp
Year 4 students are getting excited about their camp to be held 25 – 27 May at Douglas Scrub. Further information including the camp program, menu and ‘what to pack’ list can be accessed here

Play yard supervision: Duty of Care
Currently a number of children are arriving at or around 8.00am before staff are on duty in the playground. If students are to be dropped at School early and parents are not able to stay and supervise them, could you please leave them under the safe supervision of the Before School Care facility?

This is a Duty of Care issue that we take very seriously. I thank you for your support with this safety issue concerning your children.

National Science Week 2022 –  ‘Glass – More Than Meets The Eye’
The Junior School will celebrate National Science Week in Term 3 this year. The theme for 2022 is ‘Glass – More Than Meets The Eye’. The Junior School Science Coordinator, Robyn Cox, will assist class teachers as they plan engaging activities for the children to enjoy during this week based on the above theme.

Oliphant Science Awards
Students interested in entering the Oliphant Science Awards this year are encouraged to do so from home. Online registrations are now open and there are many categories for students to choose from. Registrations close Friday 20 May and I apologise for this late notice but have only just received the details.

Claire Drogemuller – Wedding
The Junior School staff and students wish Claire Drogemuller (Year 5 teacher) and her partner Nick Maycock all the very best for their wedding this weekend. Felicity Anderson, an experienced class teacher and past Principal, will teach 5D next week until Claire returns to school Monday 30 May.

Denise O’Loughlin
Head of Junior School