Mr James Tamblyn
It was my pleasure this week to attend separate induction assemblies for our 2021 Junior School Pedare Student Voice (PSV) Representatives, and for our Middle School Student Leaders. Both assemblies were very special occasions with families present to help the community officially welcome students into these roles. Congratulations to all students who are taking on a leadership position this year, and thanks to you all for your commitment to ensuring the student voice at Pedare is heard.
For every student that was elected to a leadership role, there were many students who applied and weren’t selected. And it is to these students, quite possibly, that the greatest learning opportunities are presented. Many, many highly capable and motivated Junior and Middle School students, who would have done an exceptional job in the roles they applied for, missed out.
I mentioned at the Junior School PSV assembly that I could talk all day about the number of times I have missed out on opportunities I was striving for. Whether it be jobs or promotions, selection in teams, invitations to parties, missing cut-offs for study options, driving tests etc, the feeling of giving it your all and then missing out is always difficult to deal with. And it doesn’t necessarily get any easier as you get older.
Failure and non-selection is a part of life. It happens to us all. In fact, if we’re not failing and failing often, then we are probably not challenging ourselves enough. As Robert F Kennedy said, ‘Only those who dare to fail greatly will ever achieve greatly.’
How we respond to disappointment will, in large part, ultimately determine our success. Often decisions that disappoint us are out of our control. But how we persist, and the grit we demonstrate, is always ours to determine. I encourage you all to continue striving towards challenges that scare you, doing things that make you nervous, and committing to bouncing back in the face of adversity and disappointment.
Mr Andrew Whiteman
Last week’s annual Swimming Carnival was a wonderful success with all students showing passion and spirit for their communities. Congratulations to Brooklyn on their well-deserved title. Events such as these truly build community connection and our students once again made us all very proud to be associated with Pedare.
The importance of getting into a good study routine has been a focus over the last few weeks as assessments begin for our senior students. The College Planner highlights the average amount of work required at home for students to be successful. I encourage you to work with your children to discuss how their academic week looks and how they are planning out their time. We understand the busy lives that our students lead and want them all to find the right balance to ensure their wellbeing is looked after, whilst also making the most of the academic opportunities in front of them. Like any scale, the balance of work vs school vs social lives vs extracurricular activities is hard to maintain but with teacher support and communication we hope to assist students in finding what works best for them.
It was wonderful to welcome our Senior School families to the College on Tuesday and Wednesday night this week. The parent information sessions provided an opportunity to welcome our Year 10 families to the Senior School and shared information about the expectations and levels of support available for your children. The Year 12 evening gave parents an insight into their child’s classroom and some very positive discussion was held with individual subject teachers. The next formal opportunity to meet with teachers is the Parent Student Teacher interviews which will be held in Week 10 and 11 of this term. However, if at any time you need to communicate with any of your children’s subject teachers please do not hesitate to email or call the College to arrange a meeting.
Mrs Lauren Brooks
2021 Middle School Leadership
It was a wonderful ceremony this week that formally inducted our 2021 Middle School Leadership team. I have felt inspired by our Year 9 leaders already, in their quest to be great leaders and make a difference to others in our community. I look forward to developing our partnership throughout this year to create magic together in our Middle School.
Year 6 and 7 Support Workshops
I thoroughly enjoyed spending time this week with our Year 6 and Year 7 students, respectively. Students were invited to spend time with the Head of Middle School and Assistant Head of Middle School to ensure we can continue to offer specific support within our Middle Years Programme. Students were given the opportunity to speak candidly with us about what is going well and what could be improved. It was also an opportunity for us to collect critical information that will be used to identify and target any areas of support needed for this particular cohort. We will be developing tailored support sessions for our Year 6 and Year 7 students later in the term.
Year 8 Outdoor Education Experience
Earlier in the term, our Year 8 students travelled to Little Eagle Campsite on Hindmarsh Island to take part in a three-day aquatic camp. The camp is designed to connect our cohort through shared, challenging experiences, that develop leadership, relationships, independence and camp craft. Through extremely difficult weather conditions, our students excelled. We were very proud of their tenacity, strength and camaraderie.
Year 9 Community Project
It has been fantastic to see so many excited Year 9 students energised as they are about to embark on their Community Project journey. This project is a consolidation of their learning throughout the Middle Years Programme and is a significant piece of work completed over an extended period of time. The purpose of the project is to address a genuine need within the community and is done through the four criterion of the Community Project: Investigating, Planning, Action and Reflection.
Mr Randall Pearce
Swimming Lessons and Swimming Carnival
It has been fantastic to see our Reception, Year 1 and Year 2 children, teachers and parent volunteers walk over to the Golden Grove State Swim and participate in their lessons over the last two weeks. Next week, we look forward to our Year 3, 4 and 5 Swimming lessons and our Reception to Year 5 Swimming Carnival on Thursday 25 February with much fun and excitement. Thank you once again to Mr Perry for all his organisation and also to the teachers and parents who supported during the week.
For me, swimming is a life skill vital for all children and especially children growing up in Australia. The statistics each Summer are frightening in terms of the number of drowning deaths across Australia. Many of these drowning deaths occur in swimming pools which highlights the importance of a basic level of swimming skills and water safety, that is promoted through the Junior School’s commitment to swimming for all year levels every year.
To help prevent drowning, every child must have basic swimming, water safety skills and knowledge of how to be safe when they are in, on, or around the water, all of which are covered during our lessons at State Swim and Water World.
Pedare Student Voice – PSV
One Friday 19 February, we inducted our Junior School Pedare Student Voice representatives. These students were selected by their classmates to represent them to help bring about positive changes within the school.
As a member of Pedare Student Voice (PSV) we expect the following:
I congratulate the following students. Please click here to view photos of the PSV representatives.
RC
RO
1B
1M
2B
2T
3N
30
4A
4C
5B
5CT
5P
ROUTINE CAN ANCHOR US
No matter what’s going on in our day, knowing that we will be having our evening meal around 6 pm, and going to bed around 10 pm, can be a real comfort. The certainty of our routine can help us to manage the uncertainty that life can throw up.
REDUCING STRESS
Trying to remember things can be really stressful and can fill our brains up with everything on our ‘to do’ list; which can be incredibly overwhelming. When we have a routine, a lot of the things we do day-to-day slot in, and we don’t have to think about them anymore. For example, when we’re well we don’t have to remember to clean our teeth, because we know from habit that teeth-cleaning comes after breakfast every day.
HEALTHY DIET
Food can really affect our mood, so it’s important that we try to keep things as balanced as possible. A routine can help with this, because it allows us to block out some time for cooking, eating, and cleaning up afterwards.
BUILD IN THE IMPORTANT THINGS
This includes time to rest, relax, and have fun. It’s not perfect – there are always going to be days when things get busy. But structuring our time to include some downtime increases the likelihood this will happen daily.
EXERCISE
Not all of us are a fan of exercising, but exercise can boost our mood. It can be difficult to fit exercise into our day, particularly when life gets busy. By having a daily routine, even if exercise only features in it a couple of times a week, we can create time to take part in our exercise of choice.
SLEEP ROUTINE
Sleep is really important for our mental health because going to bed and waking up at a similar time most days allows our body to get used to our sleep-wake cycle and sets our sleep-wake clock accordingly. This means that by having a regular sleep routine, especially if we build in some time to wind down before we go to bed each day, we should begin to find that we find it easier to get to sleep and sleep better once we are asleep.
DAILY HABITS
Organising our time gives us the opportunity to build in blocks of time for things that are important to us. This can allow us to build in daily habits that help us with our mental health. It could include things like time to relax, or a regular bedtime. When they’re part of our routine, it can make it easier to keep up with them because we have the time to do them and they become our ‘new normal’.
Mrs Joanne Murby and Ms Jan Robertson – Pastoral Care
2021 Student Residential Address and Other Information collection notice
The Department of Education and Training will be undertaking a student residential address and other information collection over the coming weeks. In order for us to comply with the Government’s requirements, please ensure that the College has current residential addresses recorded for students and parents, including separate addresses where parents and/or caregivers live apart by Friday 7 March 2020.
We are legally required to complete the address collection in accordance with the Australian Education Regulation 2013 (Cth) (Regulation). The collection is undertaken each year and is used to inform Commonwealth school education policy and to help ensure Commonwealth funding arrangements for non-government schools are based on need and are fair and transparent.
A statement of addresses contains the following information about each student at the school:
Please follow the link below the ‘Collection Notice’ which outlines what is being collected and addresses issues concerning the security of your personal information.
Collection Notice for parents/guardians
STUDENT ATTENDANCE / LATE ARRIVAL / EARLY DEPARTURE
Parents and Caregivers are reminded to advise the College if their child will be absent, arriving late or leaving early. The best method to advise this is by email to: absentees@pedarecc.sa.edu.au
Students should arrive at school punctually by 8:30am ready for Home Group/ Class at 8:35am. An absence due to illness for more than 2 days will require a Medical Certificate.
MESSAGE FOR FAMILIES
While we understand that emergency and unexpected circumstances can occur, please ensure that your child knows the after-school arrangements when they leave home in the morning.
It is often difficult for staff to get a message to individual students during the school day.
Students who have mobile phones can check for messages at the end of the school day at 3:15am. Should your child be unsure, or a parent is not at the expected pick-up location, they can go to the College Office and make a phone call.
Wherever possible, Medical and Dental appointments should be made outside of school hours; however, we understand that this is not always possible. If you need to collect your child during the school day, please ensure that they are aware and that there is a note in the Planner for their teacher so that they can be dismissed from class.
Students who arrive late or leave early, must check in/out at the College Office or Junior School Office.
At Assembly held on Thursday 18 February, the 2021 Middle School Captains were officially inducted. Congratulations to the following students:
Middle School Captains
Brooklyn
Eldergreen
Greenwith
Hillcott
Surrey
PSV & Community Service
2021 MS Captains
Brooklyn
2021 MS Captains
Eldergreen
2021 MS Captains
Greenwith
2021 MS Captains
Hillcott
2021 MS Captains
Surrey
2021 MS Captains
PSV & COMMUNITY
Students from Reception to Year 5 were inducted as Pedare Student Voice representatives at assembly on Friday 19 February. Thank you to Ms Paula Luethen MP Member for King who was invited to present students with their certificates. Congratulations to the following students:
2021 PSV Representatives – Year 5
2021 PSV Representatives – Year 4
2021 PSV Representatives – Year 3
2021 PSV Representatives – Year 2
2021 PSV Representatives – Year 1
2021 PSV Representatives – Reception
On Wednesday this week all staff and students, as well as a number of parents, marked the commencement of Lent with Ash Wednesday services and devotions across the College. The day began with an early service before school at St Mark’s Anglican Church, Golden Grove. The Rev Tim Mannix (RAAF Chaplain and locum minister) led this traditional service for a small number of staff, parents and students, together with members of the St Mark’s parish. I am grateful to Rev Mannix and the St Mark’s parish for their hospitality and for partnering with us on this important day.
All Middle and Senior students began the school day with a community gathering that included an Ash Wednesday devotion read by their Community Coordinator. Students were encouraged to consider carefully what they say “yes” or “no” to in life, knowing that God promises to strengthen them when faced with temptation.
The Junior School services engaged students with visual displays, responsive prayers and the opportunity to receive a simple Ash Wednesday craft activity. This was in place of an ash cross on the forehead or hand which could not be offered due to Covid. Each year these services encourage students to reflect on their choices and consider how they might become more like Jesus in thought, word and action. My thanks to Rev Sue Page (Associate General Secretary of the Uniting Church in SA, Reserve Chaplain at the Edinburgh RAAF Base) for co-leading all three services with me.
Mr John Morton – College Chaplain
On Thursday 11 February, the five Communities of Pedare congregated at the Adelaide Aquatic Centre for the annual Middle and Senior School Swimming Carnival.
Students turned out in record numbers this year, creating an electric atmosphere of competition, camaraderie and community spirit. It is an amazing sight to see all students push their comfort zones and their physical ability to the limit with participation in over ninety events. The lighter side of the day are the novelties where year levels are involved in a range of fun team activities that promote inclusion and laughter. Many chants and laughs were had, and memories were created.
Triumph went to Brooklyn for only their 3rd victory in the College’s history, narrowly beating Greenwith by 5 points, Surrey trailed the leaders by a further 20 points, but the victory could have gone to any of these three communities with the added points in the relays.
All in all, a fabulous event for the College and a huge thank you to all the staff members who contributed to the running of the event. We look forward to the 2022 edition of the Swimming Carnival where Surrey, Hillcott, Brooklyn and Eldergreen will once again have a chance to topple Greenwith off the top spot.
Overall Results
All Age Community Relay
Female Fast Five
Male Fast Five
Female Fast Five
Brooklyn – Shield Winners
Male Fast Five
Our Reception classes have been learning about how Australia is multicultural. This week we learnt about Chinese culture and how they celebrate Chinese New Year. In our Chinese lesson we read the story of Chinese New Year. In the story there was a scary beast called Nian. The villagers scared away Nian with fire, drums and the colour red. Receptions heard that Nian had been seen around the school! So, we gathered lots of red things, drums and lanterns and went for a walk around to look for Nian. We found him and we did a pretty good job of scaring him away! Happy Chinese New Year!
Miss Kimberley Capper – Reception Teacher
Friday 12 February was the Lunar New Year. It is celebrated by Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean and other communities throughout the world and is also known as the Spring Festival. Every year is represented by a zodiac animal sign. This year is the year of the Ox, which occurs every 12 years. People born in the Year of the Ox are strong, reliable, fair, conscientious and inspire confidence in others. They are also calm, patient, methodical and trustworthy. Cristiano Ronaldo, Barrack Obama, Napoleon Bonaparte and Vincent van Gogh were all born in the year of the Ox.
During the Lunar New Year, students in Chinese classes have learnt that children wearing new clothes, particularly in red, receive “lucky money” in red envelopes (红包 hong bao) and household doors are open to let good luck enter on Lunar New Year. Lunar New Year may also include a lantern festival, where people hang decorated lanterns in temples and carry lanterns to an evening parade. The lanterns are mostly red to symbolize good luck. Many households host large banquets for family and friends, taking part in lion and dragon dances, as well as festive parades featuring acrobatic demonstrations, beating gongs, and clashing cymbals, and paying respect to ancestors etc.
Students learnt to sing a New Year song, made red envelopes, paper lanterns and Year of the Ox paper cuttings. Senior students created Lunar new year posters and lap books. They also researched and planned to celebrate and explore the symbolism behind Chinese festive cuisine.
Lunar New Year is the most important and longest of all Chinese festivals, there are 15 days of celebrations. This year there will be a celebration in Chinatown, Gouger Street, Adelaide on Saturday 20 February, starting from 12.00pm until 10.30pm. Admission is free. Wishing you all good health and a prosperous year of Ox 新年快乐 (Xin nian kuai le), 恭喜发财(gongxi fa cai)
Year 6 – Allayne Webster Visit
On Tuesday 9 February, Year 6 students thoroughly enjoyed meeting author Allayne Webster. Her book, A Cardboard Palace, is one of the titles in our Literature Circles, and students were a little star-struck at meeting the author of the book they are currently reading! This term in Language and Literature lessons, Year 6s are developing their own narrative writing, and received some excellent advice and tips from Allayne.
Ms Sarah Mossel – Year 6 Teacher
Year 7 – Phil Cummings Visit
The Year 7 cohort were treated to a visit from acclaimed author Phil Cummings on Tuesday 9 February. Students engaged with the writing process during an enthusiastic presentation by this renowned author. Phil visits the College every year and students always enjoy his lively, fun and informative talks.
Mrs Jude Johnson – Year 7 Teacher
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During Week 4, approximately forty Year 10 students participated in our first Innovation and Enterprise student conference. We started the day with an inspiring presentation from Young South Australian of the Year – Isobel Marshall. Isobel shared with our students her personal journey to starting the social enterprise Taboo and challenged students to think about what world problem they might solve and for who. Later this term, students will explore more deeply the social enterprise business model and learn about some other successful Australian social enterprises.
After the speaker presentation, students participated in a selection of technology and marketing workshops to support their learning and help them to be more innovative and technology focussed. Students will use these new skills as they work in teams to develop creative solutions for our upcoming International Women’s Day breakfast.
Mrs Kirstin Davenport – Senior School Business Teacher
This year we are excited to be running our first Year 10 Innovation & Entrepreneurship course. This elective has been especially designed to give students an opportunity to explore the entrepreneurial landscape in Australia. In this course, students have more engagement with industry and develop 21st century skills through solving real world problems.
Our recent visit to Tonsley Innovation District gave our new Innovation & Entrepreneurship students an opportunity to see firsthand what it looks like when government, the tertiary education sector and private business partner together to advance technology and business in South Australia. Students participated in a precinct tour, met with entrepreneurs and undertook a lean manufacturing workshop, based on iterative design principles and ishikawa (cause & effect analysis) methodologies.
Students had a fun day and many reflected that they did not know about the Tonsley precinct or that there was such exciting innovation happening in South Australia.
Mrs Kirstin Davenport – Senior School Business Teacher
On a beautiful Monday morning in Week 4, the Year 12 student cohort travelled by bus into a wonderful part of our city to visit St Peter’s Cathedral in North Adelaide. They were divided into small groups and were introduced to their guides who are volunteers that belong to the congregation at the Cathedral. The guides, who are actually retired professionals, have retained their passion for education as well as a quick wit, carefully explained to the students how the Cathedral is reflective of Christianity within the Community.
Students were able to take photos of the stunning stained-glass windows, the Baptismal font and a number of other important attributes of this amazing piece of architecture that tourists usually flock to see. Our time in the Cathedral ended with a quiet reflection for the students to truly appreciate the experience of being in a sacred space. Students will be able to use the information gathered as a primary source in their first summative task for Stage 2 Religion Studies.
Ms Sue Tula – Learning Area Coordinator, Christian Life
Extra-Curricular Sports feature articles and results below:
It has been such a tough season for many of the netball teams with some still learning the ropes and having to deal with big gaps in training and matches due to COVID and the Christmas holidays. It was wonderful to see Pedare’s youngest team GO Yellow finally have everything fall into place and claim their first win last Friday, this was followed by the Sub Junior 7 team who struggled through the heat with only six players to claim their first win with an amazing score of 38-3.
Very happy players, coaches and family all round.
TERM 1
Week 2
Netball
Basketball
TERM 1
Week 3
Basketball
Cricket
Netball
Tennis
Volleyball
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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 will be hosting 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, starting from this Saturday 6 February. Stalls are inside the hall and in the car park and 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 currently have a 9:00 am traditional service. Please email office@stmarksgoldengrove.org.au to advise if you will be attending either service for COVID-19 requirements.
For further information and updates about St Mark’s services, please visit the website at https://www.stmarksgoldengrove.org.au/ or visit their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/stmarksgoldengrove.org.au