The Vine Issue 16 – 2021

COLLEGE PRINCIPAL

Mr James Tamblyn

At the Year 12 Thanksgiving Service a fortnight ago I spoke about a performance from earlier this year on America’s Got Talent by a woman called Jane Marczewski. When she performs, she goes by the name Nightbirde. In the conversation prior to performing, she told the judges that she was fighting cancer in her lungs, her spine and her liver. 

She sang an original song called ‘It’s Ok’ where she delivers a powerful message about how she is far more than the bad things that have happened to her, and through her song she invites everyone who feels a little broken, or who is fighting their own battle, to approach life with the same attitude. 

At the end of her performance, she made a statement in a conversation with the judges about her approach to life. She said this:

You can’t wait until life isn’t hard anymore before you decide to be happy

Life is hard. But, in good news, it’s not the absence of difficulty in life that will determine our happiness or otherwise. It’s our attitude towards life; the attitude we bring to life’s challenges. In this context, my advice to our graduating students was twofold: 

Firstly; don’t compare yourself to anyone else; compare yourself only to who you were yesterday (one of Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life). You will constantly come up short if you measure yourself against others’ achievements, particularly if you are judging them by the image they portray of their lives online. 

And secondly; judge your wealth by the things that you have in your life that you can’t buy with money. These things are obtained simply by working hard, being kind, thoughtful, compassionate and gentle. And knowing God. 

The greatest and first commandment is to love God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. Knowing God and his love for us will provide strength through all of life’s difficulties. And in this way, His peace can be with us all, regardless of the challenges we face.  

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL / HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

Mr Andrew Whiteman

The first few weeks of Term 4 are behind us, and there is no doubt there has been a slight change of pace in the Senior School. Over the first two weeks, we were focused on farewelling our Year 12 cohort in style. We enjoyed many events, including the Middle/Senior School Spring Carnival, Colour Explosion, Year 12 final Worship Service, Year 12 Thanksgiving Service and finally the Graduation Dinner held at Sfera’s Reception centre. The final events celebrating the achievements of the cohort of 2021 were a demonstration of our wonderful Pedare community coming together. The Graduation Dinner was a new event for the College and our families certainly enjoyed connecting with their sons and daughters’ friends and families during the night. We look forward to continuing with these events and making them bigger and better in the years to come. We send best wishes to our students who are currently completing their Stage Two examinations. 

With Stage One and Year 10 students completing their final lessons on Friday 19 November, these cohorts have been reminded about the need to focus on their studies in the coming weeks. There is no time to waste, and the importance of completing assessment tasks cannot be understated. Finishing the small tasks gives students the time to focus on the larger pieces of work that will be due towards the end of the term. The examination period for our Senior students will be Monday 22 – Thursday 25 November. A 2022 Year 12 induction day will be held on Friday 26 November for all students studying a Stage Two subject next year.  

College hat

We thank all our parent community for your support with the student’s uniform and grooming requirements this term. A reminder about the importance of all students having the College hat to wear each day at school. Even those Senior Students who are not enrolled in Physical Education are still required to wear the College hat when they are outside. With the warmer weather approaching, our focus remains on keeping our students sun safe.

Car park

A reminder about the use of the car park adjacent to the Mallee, the Middle School building. We are aware that some parents are parking in these spaces in the morning and during pick up time. There are several car park spaces reserved for ONE+ music tutors and staff. Please do not park in these spaces inside the gate. There are car park spaces labelled as ‘Pedare’ and you are welcome to park in these spaces if they are available.

HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

 Mrs Lauren Brooks

Year 6 People Power Day

Our annual People Power Day was held during Week 4 with our Year 6 cohort. This day involved students taking on the role of local councillors in a fictional council area. 

The Mayor and MPs of each council had a number of tasks over the day, beginning with creating a logo and slogan that represents the location and natural environment of their region. Then they needed to analyse the data about their constituents to make decisions on how to best spend their local government budget. 

The councillors also needed to respond to letters and complaints from their citizens, and finally made a grant application to the ‘State and Federal Government’ (their teachers) for a new building that would best suit their residents.

People Power Day gave students a chance to work in groups, solve problems, analyse data and statistics, and not just learn about the responsibilities of local government, but take on those responsibilities.

Throughout the day students learnt many skills, however most importantly, students learned that money never goes quite as far as they think it will and that it is very tricky to keep everyone happy!

FIRST LEGO League

Pedare hosted the FIRST LEGO League Regional Tournament on Thursday 28 October. This robotics competition brought teams together from across South Australia to compete in solving a research project, whilst competing with a robot they have developed over several months.

We were honoured to host schools from across South Australia, and we were very proud of the way our Pedare students were so kind and welcoming to all competitors throughout the day. Our Pedare students competed admirably and displayed the best of our College values throughout the competition. 

We look forward to hosting our VEX Tournaments at the end of the month, bringing together a season close for our growing robotics extracurricular program.

Recycling at Pedare

Pedare has launched into our BinShift recycling program. Planning for a sustainable approach has led to recycling stations that are managed here at school and then collected to be recycled off-site.

We are in phase one which is seeing us recycle 10 cent containers, paper, cardboard, hard plastics and soft plastics. We look forward to increasing this to our organic waste in the coming weeks in our SubPod system.

Year 9 Food Excursion

The Year 9 Food Technology classes went to the Adelaide Central Markets on Thursday of Week 4 to collect local and Indigenous produce for their upcoming cooking practical. Students were taken on a short walk to Walyo Yerta Community Garden on South Terrace where a volunteer gardener spoke to the students about what is grown in the garden and who benefits from it. The cultural experience of attending the Adelaide Central Markets is one that students fully embrace, as they are encouraged to try something new for lunch!

HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

Mr Randall Pearce

Staffing 2022

Staff movement, whether moving year levels or moving to a new school, is part of a professional’s journey. There are some challenges that come from within, but they are normal and healthy.

Currently, we are still deliberating over the staffing mix for 2022. We are dedicated to finding the right teachers that balance across the Junior School to support the children, families and to continue to grow the programs that we offer.    

At the end of this year, we will farewell Mrs Liz Morgan after 25 years of dedicated service to the children and families at Pedare. During her time at Pedare, Mrs Morgan has cared for and supported numerous children and families. Her legacy of kindness and providing both calm and engaging classes will be greatly missed. We wish Mrs Morgan well for her retirement and hope that she will join us as a Temporary Relief Teacher as she balances her grandmotherly duties in 2022. 

End of term  

Looking at the end of this term, I can certainly affirm the work and care that all Pedare staff have for each child. The curriculum, activities and events planned will ensure a busy and fun term. More information will follow shortly regarding Thanksgiving for Years 3, 4 and 5 only, and the Junior Primary Nativity Musical for Reception, Year 1 and Year 2). Please check the College website, calendar, and newsletters to keep you informed about all the wonderful events planned for this term. 

WINTER SPORT AWARDS

Well done to all students who have represented the College this winter and congratulations to the Award winners who were recognised with the Winter Sports Award on Middle/Senior School Assembly, Tuesday 26 October.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

MIDDLE/SENIOR SCHOOL ART EXHIBITION

Save the date for the Middle and Senior School Art Exhibition. Please note the new date: Thursday 25th November. The exhibition will be held in Mallee from 5 to 6.30 pm. It is a free event and opens to the College community.

Hand-painted clutches created by students in the Art Club will be available for purchase on the night. All money raised will go to two great local charities, Kick Start For Kids and Talk Out Loud. A silent auction of the fabulous Robotic Art by Year 7s will be held during the night, followed by the announcement of the Middle and Senior School Art Prize Award.

EXTRACURRICULAR – 2022 NOMINATIONS

2022 Extracurricular Nominations are OPEN! There is still one more week to nominate until they close on Friday 12 November at 5 pm. Information for extracurricular activities can be found on the Extracurricular Portal

TV shows with disturbing content

– From the Well Being Team

There has been a lot of talk about Squid games – a South Korean drama that is currently showing on Netflix. If you are concerned about your children watching this or any other TV shows, the following advice from Reachout.com may help you to support and talk with your children.

CONTENTS

Year 10 – AWTC and Civil Train Excursion

Year 9 Girls – Enterprising Girls Workshop

Year 7 – Clay Sculpture

Year 7 – Battle of the Bands

Stage 1 Biology – Adelaide Zoo Excursion

Year 11 – The Great Gatsby

Junior School – Bandanna Day

Year 5 Transition Visit

AWTC AND CIVIL TRAIN EXCURSION

Year 10

Year 10 students, along with Gleeson and Golden Grove High School students, visited the Advanced Welding Training Centre (AWTC) and Civil Train (Civil Industries Training Organisation) on Thursday 21 October.

We first visited the AWTC at Regency TAFE. It started off with an information session on South Australia’s need for more Metals & Engineering workers with the new submarine contracts at Australian Sub Corporation (ASC). Students then tried out the Virtual Reality welding equipment, which helps students to learn on how to control welding techniques correctly. We also had a tour of the Metals & Engineering facilities. It was a great way for the students to learn about Certificate 2 & 3 courses in the field offer.

After that, we headed off to the Civil Train at Thebarton. Students learnt the career pathways in the Civil Engineering industry which relate to the construction of roads, bridges, tunnels and underground infrastructure. Students tried out the heavy plant simulators by driving excavators, tip trucks, graders, front-end loaders and bulldozers in different test conditions.

Overall, this was a great experience for the students involved, and it will hopefully at least give them some thought about deciding their future careers.

James Walsh

ENTERPRISING GIRLS WORKSHOP

Year 9 Girls

On Monday 25 October, Year 9 girls engaged in a full day ‘Enterprising Girls’ workshop, where they had the opportunity to collaborate and problem-solve with peers while undertaking a rapid experience of the design thinking process. 

Together with the expert facilitators from the Young Change Agents, some challenges and issues of young people in improving their financial wellbeing were explored. This particular topic was selected by students who were excited to develop their own personal financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills, which are the foundation of the program.

Students spent time empathising through gathering information about the knowledge and experiences young people have, and how they feel about financial literacy. They then undertook brainstorming activities, developed prototypes and presented their solutions. Students came out with a diverse range of ideas, from personalised stylish budgeting envelopes for teens, to innovative education programs. They enjoyed developing prototypes for websites, apps and physical products. Well done to Year 9 girls involved in making the most of this fantastic opportunity.

Kirstin Davenport

CLAY SCULPTURE

Year 7 Art Students

This term, Year 7 Art students are learning hand-building skills with clay to create fish monsters and mugs. Students have enthusiastically learnt how to form a pinch pot and transform it into the mouth of a sea creature. Attaching eyes, fins, teeth and tails. The next step is to learn slab building to create a handmade mug and to include a range of decorating techniques.

Well done to the Year 7s for their outstanding creativity and responsible handling of clay and clean up during this messy topic.

Leah Grant

BATTLE OF THE BANDS

Year 7

On Friday 29 October, the Year 7 cohort competed in their annual event, Battle of the Bands. The competition was fierce, the performances were very entertaining and full of passion and energy. Congratulations to all Year 7 cohort, but it was Mrs Johnson’s class 7J, who took out the competition this year!

ADELAIDE ZOO EXCURSION

Stage 1 Biology

This term in Stage 1 Biology, students have been studying Ecosystems and Biodiversity. On Friday 29 October, the classes ventured to Adelaide Zoo where they were able to engage with a Zoo Educator and further develop their understanding of the content covered in class. Students could look specifically at classification, adaptations, food webs, keystone species and biodiversity. This excursion is also linked with the current summative assessment task, looking at how science is a human endeavour and the conservation of specific keystone species.

Samantha Ireland

THE GREAT GATSBY

Year 11 Drama Production

On Wednesday 27th October, the Stage One Drama class presented their stage production of ‘The Great Gatsby’ by Stephen Sharkey, based on the famous novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. 

The drama production provided many challenging learning opportunities, and despite time constraints, students enhanced their dramatic skills through different technologies, skills and techniques. Students used their initiative through creative decision-making and collaborating throughout the process, which allowed ideas to develop and enhance the stage performance.

Video, sound and lighting effects were major adaptations, incorporating contemporary songs with fitting tempos and genres per scene. By selecting certain songs and modern technologies, students were able to create an appropriate and modernised twist on a classic tale, ‘the Great Gatsby’.

Rebecca Williams

NEWS, UPDATES AND RESULTS

The Pedare Extra-Curricular Team are excited to bring you a new portal, containing information and links all in one location to our Sports and Clubs program.

The Portal is updated regularly to bring you the latest news, announcements, updates, results and more of Pedare Extra-Curricular activities and events.

Term 4 Week 4 Update

Summer Term 4 season is rolling along with many teams heading into the back half of their season. There have been so many terrific stories of determination, resilience and continued improvement. The first coaching session that the Middle B2 tennis team had during the week with coaches from Tea Tree Gully Tennis Club paid dividends with the team serving up a strong win against St Ignatius College. The 7B Cricket team bowled quickly and batted their way to a 25 run victory over Sacred Heart College. 

Three Pedare students competed in the 2021 VIVA SA All Schools State Athletics Carnival on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 October. Their results highlight the time, effort and commitment that they put into athletics. 

• Aston H came 5th in a hotly contended 100m final with only 0.1 seconds separating second to sixth.
• Hamish G competed in the 100m heat, 90 hurdles heat and the high jump where he came 4th.
• Jack W came 1st in the 800m (2:06.03) and 1500m breaking both meet records.

Michael Secomb

ECOFORCE EXCURSION

Cobbler Creek,  26 October 2021

Due to the hot weather, Mrs Palmer suggested a change, and we explored the fauna and flora along Cobbler Creek on Tuesday 26 October. EcoForce students learnt about native bees and honey bees, as well as their habitat. Students saw lots of birds in their habitat and learnt about native plants and invasive garden plants in the area.

The enthusiastic EcoForce students care much about the environment and try to always make a difference. This excursion gave us a better understanding of our environment.

Liz Denton-Brown

Tea Tree Gully Anglican

Tea Tree Gully Anglican Church is a group of Christians who seek to serve Jesus in everything we do. Whether you are just visiting, or looking for a Christian home, we aim to be a loving and supportive family for you. We meet at the church at 8:30am, 10:00am, and 6:00pm in person. If you can’t join us just yet, we’ll continue to stream at 8:30am and 10:00am online using Zoom and YouTube  Service times are 8:30am and 10:00am.

Please contact Dave Brown on dave@ttganglican.org.au for more details, or check their Facebook page for links.

If you are struggling and would like to talk with someone from the church during these trying times, please phone 8264 3736.

Tea Tree Gully Uniting – Banksia Markets

Tea Tree Gully Uniting host the ‘local and friendly’ Banksia Markets on the first Saturday of each month from 8:30am to 1:00pm at 600 Milne Road, Banksia Park. Stalls inside the hall and in the car park include produce, fresh fruit and vegetables, jewellery, tools, bric-a-brac and lots more. A BBQ and delightful Devonshire Teas are available. There is also 50% off of items in the BIG shed. For more information contact the TTG Uniting Church website at https://www.ttguc.org.au/

St Mark’s Anglican Church

St Mark’s Anglican Church has a 9.00 am traditional service each Sunday morning and we would love to see you. Our email is office@stmarksgoldengrove.org.au if you have any further questions.

For further information and updates about St Mark’s services and events, please visit our website at https://www.stmarksgoldengrove.org.au/ or visit our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/stmarksgoldengrove.org.au

Golden Grove Uniting Church

Golden Grove Uniting Church, corner of Crouch and One Tree Hill Road, Golden Grove, has a traditional service at 10:00am on a Sunday morning.  Also, on the second and fourth Sunday of the month, we have a cafe style church, which is a relaxed contemporary worship service at 6:00pm in the Church hall.

On a Friday morning for parents/carers and children from birth to 5 years we have a mainly music programme starting at 9:30am. This is a fun, interactive 30-minute music session followed by morning tea and free play.

For further information, please contact the Office on 8251 4298 or by email: office@goldengroveuniting.org.au  you can even check our webpage: https://www.goldengroveuniting.org.au

Please click here to visit the College Calendar for a full list of College events