The Vine Issue 5 – 2022

COLLEGE PRINCIPAL

Mr James Tamblyn

As we head into the final days of Lent and towards Easter, we prepare for the event upon which our Christian faith is founded; Christ’s death and resurrection. With Easter Eggs in stores since January, it is easy to lose focus on what Easter is about. Amidst the break from work and study, the camping, the family time and the chocolate, we remember and celebrate that by rising from the grave, our Lord Jesus Christ conquered death and redeemed us from sin, fulfilling all he taught and preached throughout his ministry. 

May this time of Easter be one of rest and peace for your family. Of all the challenges we have endured together over the past two years, the last few months have been as challenging as any period. My thanks to our students and families for the common sense, collegial and united approach you have demonstrated to keep the College running safely and effectively. 

As communicated to families earlier this week, work on our new OSHC facility will commence on Monday, 11 April. This is the first of a number of projects scheduled for this year, including:

• shade sails for the Reception Playspace
• decking and shade for the eastern side of the Banksia building
• repurposing the existing Junior School Library into new classroom spaces 
• repurposing the current OSHC building as the new Junior School Library
• developing the lower ground level of the Mallee (Middle School) building

We look forward to these exciting developments and will provide families with detailed images and plans in the coming weeks. Term 2 commences on Tuesday, 3 May. We look forward to welcoming students and families back to what we hope will be a time of increased opportunity for community events and activities.

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL / HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL

Mr Andrew Whiteman

‘Being thankful not only shows good manners, but a simple expression of thankfulness can go a long way in relationships and communication with others. It not only enhances our own lives, but makes other people feel appreciated.’ Daniella Whyte

Each day at Pedare, we are grateful for the caring and thoughtful community we live in. We are blessed with outstanding facilities and wonderful staff. Each and every member of our College has their own special gifts and talents that we are grateful for. When living in such a lucky country like Australia, we need to look outside of our normal sphere and look for opportunities to help others. There are many worthy causes, some local, some national, and some international. Earlier in the term, a number of students raised the prospect of fundraising for young children affected by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. This thoughtful act led to this week’s casual clothes day. We were so pleased with all the donations and the spirit in which the day was held—another opportunity to be grateful for the caring and giving community we have at Pedare.

Thank you to all families that participated in the Parent Teacher interviews this week. I have received a lot of positive feedback from staff about the engagement in these important conversations. Although we would like to bring our families on-site for face to face interviews, the current climate does not lend itself to this. We are all very hopeful that our Term 3 interviews will be able to be held in the traditional format. Term 3 is a long time away, so our fingers are crossed. 

I would like to thank you all for your support of Pedare throughout Term 1. The school year began like no other, and the manner in which our parent community and students have acted to keep themselves and others safe has been commendable. We know that many families have experienced the challenges of periods of isolation and remote learning. Thank you all for your patience and support of teachers as they use Google Classroom to continue learning with students. Most important to us is the health and safety of our students, and we will continue to implement policies and procedures next term that are in our students’ best interests. 

A reminder that Term 1 concludes at 1.05 pm on Thursday, 14 April. Term 2 will begin on Tuesday 3 May, with all students returning in Winter Uniform. There are a number of important events at the beginning of Term 2, including Year 8 camp, Anglican Cup, Year 12 Retreat, Year 10 camp, NAPLAN, VEX championships in Texas USA and the Middle and Senior School Swimming Carnival, just to name a few. Obviously, information about these upcoming events will be provided at the appropriate time. 

I wish you a happy and safe Easter.

HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

 Mr Callum Iles

The Power of Kindness

This week I have the privilege of working with the Year 6 cohort on kindness and looking at what it means to be someone who actually cares about people. Pedare places a huge value on treating each other kindly because, as a Christian school, we believe in the innate value of people. 

We learn in the Old Testament’s Book of Genesis that when the first people were created, they were made in the image of God. This means that because we were made to resemble the creator of the world, then we have innate value – regardless of who we are, where we live, or what we have done with our lives. Before we were born, we had value, and because of this, it matters how we treat each other.

The world we live in tells us the opposite. It tells us that if we don’t look a certain way, earn a certain salary or live in a particular house; then our value is less than others. But this is not a Biblical way of looking at life.

Eddie Jaku, the author of The Happiest Man on Earth, lived a life characterised by kindness. Whether he was living in his native Germany as a young man, in the depths of Auschwitz concentration camp or running a service station, Eddie always believed in the value of each person.

He says, ‘It was the duty of the fortunate to help those who are suffering, and that it is better to give than receive. There are always miracles in the world, even when it all seems hopeless. And when there are no miracles, you can make them happen. With a simple act of kindness, you can save another person from despair, and that might just save their life. And this is the greatest miracle of all.

Kindness is the greatest wealth of all. Small acts of kindness last longer than a lifetime. This lesson, that kindness and generosity and faith in your fellow man are more important than money, is the first and greatest lesson my father ever taught me. And in this way, he will always be with us, and always live forever.’

I love this.

Kindness creates a legacy that lives long after we are gone and, in the school context, creates a culture in which students feel known, nurtured, valued and challenged. This type of culture is one that is conducive to learning and students becoming the best version of themselves.

We can all do acts of kindness each day, whether it is to wear a touch of blue to support the Ukrainian refugees, to pick up a piece of litter, to affirm a friend or to help someone when there is nothing to be gained in return. 

So seek out this culture of kindness, and your relationships, culture and context will get better and better. And you will leave a legacy for years to come.

HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

Mr Randall Pearce

Year 5 students and their teachers experience camping life this week with a 3-day, 2-night camp at Douglas Scrub, McLaren Vale. This camp is an extension of our previous sleepover in term 4 as Year 4 students, where the students spend a Friday night in tents within the school grounds.

School camp is a fantastic opportunity for children to develop new skills, friendships and interests. The benefits of the school camp are numerous. 

Here are my top five:

1. Development of social skills

School camp is an excellent opportunity to develop a range of social skills. Most activities at camp involve teamwork, which is great for strengthening established friendships and developing new friendships by connecting with children they don’t regularly talk with at school.

Through bonding activities, children develop supportive relationships with different children and with their teachers. At camp, children have the opportunity to learn about acceptance, caring and understanding.

2. Development of independence skills

For many children, school camp is their first time away from family and home for a few nights. Parents are not there to remind their kids to eat their vegetables, brush their teeth, or have a shower.

Therefore, this is a great opportunity for kids to grow up by learning how to take care of themselves and do things on their own. Most kids rise to the challenge and learn to rely on themselves when they spend time away from home.

3. Development of decision-making skills

Should I go with my friends or should I do the activity I really want to do? Should I sneak in my iPad/iPhone or similar? Should I stay up or go to bed? Supervising teachers are not able to hover over each child all the time, so at camp, children are responsible for making more of their own choices.

4. Increased environmental awareness

During camp, children are exposed to authentic nature-based experiences. Hands-on activities in the outdoors stimulate all senses and facilitate learning. Children become more aware of the environment, develop outdoor skills, and appreciate nature.

5. Learning new skills

At school camp, children will be exposed to a range of activities that they may not have tried before. Children are often more adventurous and willing to try new things when away from their parents.

Finally, school camps allow children to work with a variety of adults, which will nurture experiential education, build intergenerational relationships, and result in a different learning style. Our students have the opportunity to form connections through first-hand experiences with trained, caring adult role models and experience a sense of achievement in a supervised, safe and positive environment. Teacher involvement is, of course, vital to every successful camp, with the bonds between students and teachers strengthened away from the classroom.

Please enjoy the following photos from our Year 5 students whilst on camp. 

Junior Shine Award

Term 1, 2022

Congratulations to the following students who were presented with a Junior Shine Award for Term 1 at Assembly on Friday 8 April.

Exclusive deals on VEX Robotics Products

Available until 26 May, 5 pm

Junior School Mother’s Day Stall

Friday 6 May

Entertainment Book Fundraising

Parents and Friends (P&F) Association

Student Artwork Exhibition at Gallery 1855

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.

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.

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. We are located on the corner of The Golden Way and Wynn Vale Drive, Wynn Vale.

We invite you to join us for our Easter Services – 9 am Good Friday 15 April and 9 am Easter Sunday 17 April Holy Communion

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