Orientation Day
On Tuesday this week we were able to hold our very special 2025 Orientation Day program for students. With a mix of nerves, excitement and anticipation students gathered with their 2025 Homeroom teacher and classmates. One of the complexities of Orientation Day is that it puts a spotlight on change. When change is the focus, we can sometimes concentrate on all of the what ifs, buts and worries about the unknown rather than see change as something that provides great opportunity. When we see change as an opportunity we can be energised, future focused and experience excitement rather than fear.
We hope that our current students and new students joining us in 2025 were able to fully embrace change as an opportunity for meeting new friends, getting to know new teachers and experiencing new adventures. As I wandered around the classrooms, I was able to hear from the students how excited they were participating in the team building, learning and connecting activities provided for them all of which are aimed at encouraging a positive mindset and a sense of belonging for the year to come.
On Orientation Day we also welcomed our 2025 Prep students and families into their classrooms. Parents and children were able to spend time together engaged in learning activities with their teachers. We look forward to welcoming the Prep children back on the November 19 to continue to build their confidence and familiarity with all things school, ready for next year.
Looking forward to a wonderful 2025!
Ann-Marree Weigl, Head of Campus
Reverse Advent Calendar
As Christmas approaches, Junior School’s Year 4 Project Care leaders have been busy organising the Reverse Advent Calendar that has become an important part of celebrating Advent here at Junior School. This year, donations will be delivered to two local community organisations – The Yellow Door Rescue and Rehoming and The Salvation Army Geelong.
During Week 6 this year, we have the opportunity to support the work of The Yellow Door – Rescue and Rehoming. The Yellow Door is a Geelong based organisation that provides a safe-haven for homeless dogs and offers these animals the care they require. With so many dogs in need, items including dog food, treats, collars and leads, toys and dog beds (clean used condition is great) are all incredibly helpful to allow The Yellow Door to continue this good work. To find out more about this organisation, visit their website.
In Week 7 & 8, non-perishable food donations will support the work of the Salvo’s Emergency Response within the Greater Geelong Community. The Geelong Salvos is a community service agency providing practical support and assistance to local people and families in times of financial and personal crisis, ensuring they have the necessary items to live. Use this link if you would like to know more about the work of the Geelong Salvo’s.
As a Junior Campus, we will be running a ‘Reverse Advent Calendar’ which invites students to bring in a different item each week, over a three-week period in the lead up to Christmas and placing it under our Christmas tree in the front foyer.
Week 6 (11 Nov – 15 Nov) – Dog food, treats, collars + leads, toys and beds.
Week 7 (18 Nov – 22 Nov) – A canned or non-perishable savoury food item
Week 8 (25 Nov – 29 Nov) – A non-perishable Christmas or dessert food item
This has been such a wonderful part of our Advent celebrations here at Junior School, offering the students ways of practical help and serve within their local community. We thank you in advance for your generosity and for partnering with us to support people in need.
Darcee Braun, Chaplain
What’s on at Junior School
Week 6
Monday 11 November – Remembrance Day
Monday 11 November – Middle School Wellbeing Team to visit the Year 4 Cohort
Monday 11 November – Lunchtime Concert – Vocal Students
Tuesday 12 November – Lunchtime Concert – Chapel
Wednesday 13 November – Prep Discovery Learning
Week 7
Monday 18 November – Lunchtime Concert – Vocal Students – Chapel
Tuesday 19 November – Lunchtime Concert – Chapel
Friday 22 November – Assembly 9am, Prep G Class Item
Week 8
Wednesday 27 November – Junior School Celebration Evening – day rehearsal, evening show, Costa Hall, 7pm
Friday 29 November – Year 4 Graduation, Middle School Sports and Aquatic Centre
Year 2 – Persuasive Writing
In Year 2, students have been learning about persuasive writing. This is always a popular writing topic because our students love the opportunity to express their thoughts and opinions. One of the topics we debated was ‘Summer is the best season’. We worked together to make a list of reasons why this might be true or untrue and the ideas were excellent. This ranged from plays at the beach and swimming pool through to Winter being a better season because that is when football is played. We then went through a new aspect each day, tackling our introduction, body and conclusion. They worked hard and demonstrated a really good understanding of persuasive writing.
Jonathan Maddock
Junior Strings – Orientation Day
With the Year 4 students attending Orientation Day at Middle School, the Junior String Ensemble welcomed Year 2 String Students to attend their first Junior String Ensemble rehearsal with the remaining Year 3 students. The group warmed up with some fun bowing and plucking activities before rehearsing Jingle Bells. Congratulations to the Year 2 students who conquered some nerves in attending their first ever String Rehearsal and to the Year 3 students who were so supportive of the new students.
The Junior String ensemble rehearses every Tuesday morning and has enjoyed some wonderful performance opportunities throughout the year, such as Open Day, Annual Music Evening, Spring into Strings, and at the Geelong Schools’ and Music Festival held at the Geelong Arts Centre.
We will now be preparing for our last performance of the year which will be at the Junior School Celebration Evening held at Costa Hall.
Carla Dunlop, Deputy Head of Campus
Safety for our Students
It has been brought to our attention that currently some parents are failing to adhere to parking in designated parking spaces, at both students drop off and pick up times, in the car park adjacent to our Junior School grounds. As we know students do not generally have well developed road safety skills until around 9-13 years of age so most of our Junior School students do not fall into this age range. I would encourage you to read this information sheet from the Royal Children’s Hospital.
It is crucial therefore that you support our students and their safety by adhering to parking in designated areas within the car park.
Additionally, I have recently received concerned calls from motorists observing parents and students not using the crossing in Broughton Drive in the morning or at the end of the day. Whilst I appreciate this might be the most time effective practice it is not the safest and I would strongly encourage the students to use the designated school crossing at every opportunity that involves crossing Broughton Drive.
Thanking you in advance for your support in this matter.
Ann-Marree Weigl, Head of Campus
Sea Animals in Japanese
The Prep students are learning about sea animals in Japanese this term. They have very quickly learnt the names of the seven different animals by using multiple methods of loading this information into their long-term memory. They learnt how to say, sing, read, write, draw and make a hand gesture for each word. By using many ways, the children can use a variety of different “paths” back to their memory to find the correct word. We have trialled this method in learning about farm animals in Term 3 and it worked very well. It offers the children a choice of finding the best pathway for them or possibly using more than one. The special hand gestures often act as a trigger to remembering the information as they have a connection to the word. Such as wiggling eight fingers upside down reminds them of the octopus tentacles and then they quickly access the Japanese word tako in their memory. It is a very effective and efficient but most importantly, a fun way to learn and retain new words. We will keep on practising and working hard in Japanese.
Katya Chaney
Calling all Basketballers!
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