Pentecost
This Sunday, we celebrate Pentecost; a significant milestone in our Christian calendar, sometimes called the ‘birthday of the Church’. It commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the early followers of Jesus. Fifty days after Easter, Jesus’ disciples were gathered together when the Holy Spirit descended upon them. The Apostles were filled with courage and empowered to share God’s love with people from all nations. Pentecost reminds us that we are never alone. The same Holy Spirit that empowered the early Church lives within us today, providing students and community members with guidance, comfort and strength. It calls us to be a welcoming community, celebrating our diverse gifts while remaining united in Christ’s love. As we enter this season, let us pray for a fresh renewal of faith and kindness in our hearts and actions.
Reception Commencement Service
It was a pleasure to officially welcome 2026 Reception students to the College at the Reception Commencement Service this morning. These students have made a very positive start to their school journey and it was wonderful to have so many families and friends in attendance to share Friday’s celebration. My thanks to Reception teachers Chris O’Brien and Rachel Watts, and DLAs Sue Stringer and Diane Owen, for their incredible support of our youngest students daily. We look forward to sharing the journey with Reception students and families over the next thirteen years.
40 Year Gala Celebration
My thanks to all community members who joined us for this event on 9 May at Adelaide Oval. Almost 350 people came together to celebrate Pedare’s first forty years. My thanks to all who made the evening possible, in particular our Community Engagement and Development Manager, Emily Chadbourne, whose organisation and attention to details ensured a wonderful night for all.
Empower is one of our Guiding Principles for Learning at Pedare, bringing about a focus across the College on fostering independence, resilience and the confidence to take intellectual risks.
To empower students means providing them with the tools, agency and voice to navigate complex ideas and truly own their educational journey. This is evident across the College, from Junior School students choosing their own problem-solving pathways in mathematics, to Middle and Senior School students taking the lead through peer coaching, live oral defenses in Science and self-directed Historical research. We also saw this independence on display beautifully during our recent Junior School Learning Journeys, where students took the lead in showcasing and reflecting on their hard work with their parents. By intentionally weaving these elements of agency and choice into our learning programs, we enhance our classroom routines and encourage our young people to step up across all learning areas as independent, accountable drivers of their own education.
This week we have been celebrating Languages Week. Spanning from Reception to Year 12, the week has offered a fantastic array of immersive, hands-on experiences including Chinese cooking lessons, German dancing, cultural craft workshops and drum sessions. It has been a wonderful opportunity for students across all year levels to connect with global traditions and celebrate linguistic diversity.
Next week, Years 5 to 9 teams are heading to St Peter’s Girls’ School for the Da Vinci Decathlon. This rigorous competition challenges students to work collaboratively under intense pressure across ten distinct disciplines. We wish our teams the very best of luck as they head into the competition and look forward to hearing all about their experiences.
As a community, we often celebrate academic achievements, creative pursuits and sporting milestones. An underlying trait between all of these success stories is resilience. Outdoor experiences across various year levels provide the perfect environment for students to build confidence, independence and self-reliance outside the traditional classroom.
Whether navigating new environments on the Year 10 camp to the Limestone Coast, taking time to strengthen peer connections and look at the future during the Year 12 retreat, or building physical and mental stamina. Students have been actively learning that facing minor discomforts and setbacks is a powerful catalyst for personal growth.
Feeling nervous or uncomfortable during these activities is a completely normal part of everyday life and is the key to building resilience and overcoming anxiety. Dr Tom Nehmny from Healthy Minds talks about how nervousness is driven by an adrenaline response designed to help us, and the key milestone for young people is learning the difference between a real, dangerous threat and a safe, developmental challenge. When students lean into the temporary “butterflies” of a challenge, such as a difficult hike or meeting new people, they avoid the “Great Mistake” of prioritising short-term comfort over long-term learning. True resilience cannot exist without the opportunity to practise being resilient. Students are encouraged to step outside their comfort zones, unearth personal strengths and develop balanced, realistic thinking patterns. We are incredibly proud of the growth and willingness to take on challenges shown by students over the past few weeks.
We encourage all families to continue this conversation at home and explore the Pedare SchoolTV portal for more practical, expert strategies on supporting flourishing young people.
https://pedarecc.sa.schooltv.me/newsletter/resilience
Earlier this week we welcomed excited families and students beyond regular school hours as they undertook eagerly anticipated Learning Journeys. Students led parents and special guests through their school learning in both classrooms and additional specialist lesson learning spaces, taking the opportunity to demonstrate their accomplishments in each location and share special time together.
Today, we welcomed families and special guests in celebration of our youngest learners at the Reception Commencement Service. With student representatives from across the College, we acknowledged and celebrated the first year of these student’s school journey. This special Assembly saw Bibles blessed and presented to each student, Year 12 buddies accompanying Receptions into the service, very special music, messages and many memories shared.
The Middle School has had several events which have enriched our community in recent weeks. Gideons International presented Bibles to Year 6 students and the new Year 7 students. This is an amazing gift, and we are incredibly thankful for their generosity in providing students with their own personal copy of the Bible.
Middle School Student Leaders recently demonstrated their initiative and agency by planning and leading the first Term 2 Middle School Assembly. This display of student-led planning highlighted their growing confidence to drive positive change, and contribute meaningfully to the life of our College.
The Community Quiz saw great excitement among Middle School students. It was fantastic to witness the spirited and competitive participation as they battled to earn valuable points for their communities!
Term 2 is off to an exciting start, with Year 10 students travelling south for an unforgettable camp at Robe and Naracoorte. In coastal Robe, the students embraced the great outdoors, and in Naracoorte, the focus shifted underground where they explored the famous cave systems and learned about the region’s rich geological and fossil history.
Meanwhile, the Year 12 cohort headed to the Nunyara Conference Centre in Belair for their retreat. Designed to support them through the pressures of their final school year, the program balanced grit with mindfulness. On the first day, students tackled physical and mental challenges that required deep collaboration, communication and resilience. In contrast, the second day shifted its focus to wellbeing; students participated in reflective and mindfulness activities led by their Community Coordinators to help them manage stress and maintain perspective.
On Tuesday, 2 June, Year 10 and Stage 1 students will attend the One+ Careers Expo featuring universities, industry professionals and pathway providers. This is a fantastic opportunity for students to explore their future career options.
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.
Please click here to visit the College Calendar for a full list of College events.
