In this edition
Dear Families
We are feeling extremely excited about our work in Term 3! It has been a wonderful combination of welcome for new families, transitioning families and depth in terms of our learning. The teachers have excelled in their practice, making me feel so extremely proud of their ongoing growth as professionals. The results have been displayed in your children’s Portfolios, as each of you has had the opportunity to meet with the teachers over the past two weeks. I’ve identified some of the key areas of development we’re celebrating:
- Data evidence that demonstrates your child’s growth this term
- Depth of inquiry in both learning communities
- Noticeable improvement in children’s fine motor development, evident through the Portfolio tracking
- Tight collaboration between staff to keep families informed of their child’s ELC life during these more restricted times
- Positive feedback from families about the sharing of learning from ELC to home
- Strong evidence of the Kaurna language and culture being shared at home
We feel so appreciative of your input and feedback as these accomplishments also reflect our strong partnerships and investment with families. Thank you for your ongoing commitment to the ELC and the shared learning journey of your child.
We wish you a restful break. Some of you, of course, will continue to work through, whilst others may have a chance for a South Australian mini-break or treasured time at home.
On behalf of all of the ELC staff, I thank you for a fantastic Term 3. We look forward to a fun-filled Term 4.
Kate Mount
Director of Early Learning
Celebrating Our Grandparents and Extended Families
Grandparents and extended families play a pivotal role in the lives of our children at the ELC. Every day, we welcome extended family members at drop-off and pick-up time. We recognise that your role in the children’s lives is pivotal. Many of you have been able to come in to ELC, or you may live interstate or overseas.
We have created this video for you to acknowledge how much we appreciate and value the relationships that we have and thank you for being such an important part of our lives.
Important Dates
Monday 28 September – Friday 9 October: Vacation Care
Monday 5 October: Public Holiday
Monday 12 October: First day of Term 4
Saturday 24 October: Songs in Ferguson Park Community Event, 10 – 11am
Friday 20 November: End of Year Celebration, 5pm
Celebrating Community – Save the Date!
We have two significant Term 4 events which we hope you can join.
Songs in Ferguson Park with Ned Baulderstone
Initiated by the teachers and children, we invite you along for Songs in Ferguson Park on Saturday 24 October from 10am – 11am in Ferguson Conservation Park adjacent to the ELC.
We will be joined by singer/songwriter, Ned Baulderstone, who has been working with our Friday children all year. Together, Ned and the children have created songs which have been enjoyed by the entire community.
Barista-made coffees and morning tea will be provided by the Friends of the ELC.
End of Year Celebration
Join us for our highly-anticipated End of Year Celebration on Friday 20 November from 5pm on the School’s Chiverton Lawns. This is always a special opportunity for our community to come together ahead of the festive season.
Vacation Care – Bookings Now Closed
Vacation Care commences on Monday 28 September, with Monday 5 October being a Public Holiday, and Term 4 beginning on Monday 12 October. Please note that bookings are essential for Vacation Care and walk-ins cannot be accommodated.
Vacation Care coordinators’ contact details:
Daniella Capaldo (Learning Community 1): dcapaldo@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Henrietta Balnaves (Learning Community 2): hbalnaves@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Do You Require an Extra Day in 2021?
If you would like your child to attend an extra day in the ELC and have not already arranged this for 2021, please contact our ELC Enrolments Officer, Sarah Elliott, via email selliott@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.
Sun Safety in the ELC
Please ensure your child brings a broad-brimmed hat to ELC each day they attend. If you do not have an ELC uniform hat, we ask that you pack another broad-brimmed hat for your child to wear. As we move into the warmer months, it is extremely important that we adhere to our policies and procedures. If your child does not have a hat, they will be asked to play under the shaded areas or indoors.
Please note that sunscreen application also occurs regularly at the ELC. If your child requires an alternative sunscreen, please provide this to your child’s teacher. We ask that your child wears their correct ELC uniform and avoids wearing dresses or singlets where the shoulders are exposed. Appropriate footwear is also required, such as sneakers or sandals that have a backing.
Children’s Lunch Boxes
With the weather warming up, it is important that your child’s lunches are prepared and stored safely to avoid the risk of food poisoning. Keep pre-made lunch boxes in the fridge until they are ready to be packed into your child’s bag. We ask that you pack a frozen ice block/ice pack in your child’s lunch box to keep food cold. Please consider healthy, safe lunch box alternatives such as fruits and vegetables, and please ensure your child has a drink bottle filled with water each day they attend ELC. The staff can refill the bottles as required throughout the day.
来自黄老师的信息
亲爱的家长朋友们,
第三学期的工作令我们极其兴奋。这个学期是对新家庭和升班家庭的欢迎，以及我们对学习的深度这两者的完美结合。我们老师们极其出色的工作实践，他们不断成长的专业能力都让我为她们感到自豪。在过去两周里，每一个家庭都有机会通过和老师的会面，从孩子们的学习文档里看到他们的学习成果。我们在这里总结了一些十分关键的发展领域：
· 数据的收集展示了孩子们这个学期的成长
· 在两个学习社区的学习探究深度
· 通过对文档数据的追踪，孩子们在精细动作的发展有明显的提高
· 在这个有限制的特殊时期，老师之间的紧密的合作，使家长们能了解到孩子们在ELC的生活
· 来自家长们积极的反馈，共享ELC的学习生活
· 土著语言和文化在学校与家庭之间共享的重要证据
我们十分感激家长朋友的投入和反馈，因为这些成就也反映了我们与家庭之间强有力的伙伴关系和投入。感谢您一直以来对ELC的参与以及分享您孩子的学习历程。
我们期待你们渡过一个宁静的假期，你们中的一些人当然会继续工作，而其他人可能会有一个短暂的南澳洲迷你假期或宝贵的在家时间。我们将为您提供假期日托班服务，但请确保您已经预订了您的位置，因为我们会根据预订进行安排。
期待第四学期的到来。
祝好
Kate Mount
Emma works in Learning Community 2 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9am – 5pm.
Sustainability in the ELC
With spring in full swing, the sun has started shining and our Community Garden has begun to flourish with fresh produce ripe for the picking.
The children in Learning Community 2 have been nurturing the garden throughout winter, counting down the days to harvest. They have been working closely with the Ferguson and Hallett Room staff to cultivate a range of recipes that promote a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. Through our garden-to-plate experiences, the children have been developing a sustainable mindset and are beginning to understand the importance that sustainability has in our community and beyond. Each child provides new insights and experiences which are being shared throughout the day, including the smoothies we have been creating with our excess morning tea fruit.
In Learning Community 2, the children have been exploring the video ‘A Whale’s Tale’ which outlines the effect that waste has on ocean life and how we can repair this. During our Ban Ban Balyas, the teachers are engaging in intentional conversations about how we can show Ngaitalya (respect) to the Kaurna land, and inviting the perspectives of each child. The children are extremely conscious about the amount of waste being generated, and the appropriate approach towards organising it. The skills they are learning are fundamental in securing a sustainable future.
The children are conscious about the surplus of food we may have throughout the day, and understand that we can share this with our worms that live in the Community Garden. Our worms are constantly working in overdrive producing nutrient-enriched compost which we provide to our garden. As we continue to experience pockets of warmer weather, we are noticing changes in the Community Garden and are extremely excited for the upcoming harvest.
Haylee Hunt
Learning Community 2 Co-Educator
Green and Clean Question of the Day: What vegetables are ready to be harvested in the Community Garden?
Staff Spotlight
Danni joined the ELC as an experienced educator, taking a lead role in extended hours care across Learning Community 1. She has a passion for cooking and has brought these experiences into her role. We absolutely love having Danni working in our ELC and highly value the nurturing care she brings to the role.
What is your teaching background?
I have almost completed a Master of Teaching, specialising in Early Childhood Education. During my studies, I have had previous career experience in the OSHC department and school holiday programs in various schools.
What is your favourite part of working in the St Peter’s Girls’ ELC?
Over the past two years, it has been a fantastic learning experience to help co-lead the Vacation Care program. I love to help create and engage in exploratory and sensory experiences alongside the children, whether it be cooking, musical or artistic. Each day brings a new and exciting opportunity for discovery and creative expression.
What makes the St Peter’s Girls’ ELC special?
There are so many favourites that come to mind about working in this special Centre — the wonderful community spirit, the collaborative and welcoming work culture, the singing and laughter that echoes daily through the Centre, the abundance of opportunities for professional growth and learning, and of course, the beautiful, natural surroundings we are lucky to spend our days amongst!
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I look forward to spending this time with my loved ones, either visiting the Adelaide hills, the Fleurieu Peninsula, cooking a meal at home or frequenting a market or two.
News from Learning Community 1
Thank you to all our families for the investment you have made in our recent Parent-Teacher Conversations. For us, these have been an absolute joy. It has been a privilege to have the opportunity to share and celebrate the achievements and special qualities of the children.
The national curriculum for the early years highlights families as the children’s first and most important teachers. Our role is to work in partnership with you:
In genuine partnerships, families and early childhood educators:
- value each other’s knowledge of each child
- value each other’s contributions to and roles in each child’s life
- trust each other
- communicate freely and respectfully with each other
- share insights and perspectives about each child
- engage in shared decision-making.
(From The Early Years National Framework)
As we head towards the end of what has been a challenging year, taking time to celebrate the learning that has occurred this term has been so uplifting. We could see how much you all valued the work, photographs and information we had to share with you. We benefited from your insights, questions and wonderings about your child. In this way, we deepen our partnership which further supports the children to grow and develop.
We know that next term we can build on what we have accomplished together so far. It will be an exciting and joyous time as we continue our learning and prepare for a variety of celebrations. As always, we look forward to sharing in the life of your child with you.
Mel Angel and Annabelle Redmond
Learning Community 1
News from Learning Community 2
Once upon a time, there were three lizards, a blue tongue (that lived under the ELC), a bearded dragon (that lived in Ferguson Conservation Park) and a rather plain looking ELC Lizard. The ELC Lizard always admired the other two lizards; they were covered in beautiful scales and markings, but the ELC Lizard’s body was plain. He shared his concern with his friends, and they offered him some sound advice. They have seen all the wonderful things that the children do at St Peter’s Girls’ ELC and suggested he visit and ask for some help.
So, the ELC Lizard set off. He walked up the path, rang the doorbell and, much to his surprise, a teacher let him in. He needed some help and shared how he felt with the teacher and children. The children came up with a wonderful idea: they could start drawing all the things they love about the ELC and add them to his body; that way, wherever he went, he would tell the story of the ELC.
At the beginning of this term, the children were offered a provocation. It was our Kaurna elder and friend, Tamaru’s t-shirt. Whenever Tamaru visits us, he wears the same red shirt which is very important to him. It is covered in symbols and images which tell a story, his story.
Some of the children began to play with the idea of appropriating one of the lizards from Tamaru’s shirt and adding in their own images of what they love about the ELC.
The ELC Lizard was then created. Everyday, small groups of children worked to develop pictures of importance to us. These have included:
- The Wodli
- Mud kitchen
- Cubby house
- The recycling bins
- Friends
- Teachers
Elements of mathematics and social justice have been meaningfully woven in, including developing data displays for the children to decide which pictures will be selected to add onto the lizard. The Symphony of Languages team has enriched this work with the addition of many creative languages such as dance, movement, clay and paint. We have even written a song with the support of Ned about our days at ELC.
This term’s work has had a strong focus on literacy. The development of the story to support our work has reignited passion from the children. The ELC Lizard has appeared throughout our Learning Community and has brought joy, fun and wonder to our days. The recent sighting of the bearded dragon in Ferguson Park and regular visits from our blue tongue lizard have only added fuel to the fire.
“We just can’t stop thinking about lizards! We have lizards on the brain.”
As the term comes to an end, our work is not over and our explorations will grow in Term 4. Our ELC Lizard is becoming a symbol of ELC life and we invite you to engage in discussion with your child. Share the ELC Lizard story from above, ask them about their involvement in our inquiry and continue to watch this space!
Kirsty Porplycia, Nell Tierney and Laura Reiters
Learning Community 2
Find Out What Happens Throughout
the Day at ELC
The ELC Learning Community Home Page is a dynamic online sharing space that invites you to participate in the communities’ learning as it happens. We use this tool to communicate important information with families and provide a window into the children’s life at the ELC, as educators share documentation of teaching, specialist lessons and spontaneous moments.
Accessing myLink for the first time:
- Visit https://mylink.stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
- To set your password, click the link located below the sign in section
- Your user name was emailed to you upon your child’s commencement (see Helpdesk contact details below if you cannot source your user name)
- Enter your unique user name, click ‘Next’
- Enter the security code sent to your mobile
- Enter the password you would like to use and press submit
- Return to the login screen at https://mylink.stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au to access myLink
- Several instructional videos are available via the Welcome page if you click on the ‘HELP’ menu tab
Accessing the Learning Community Home Page through myLink:
- Access myLink as per the above instructions
- Click on the ‘MYLINK HOME’ tab
- Click on your child’s name tab
- Under ‘Class Contacts’, click on the ELC room name (you may need to enter your user name and password again)
If you have any issues accessing or navigating myLink, please contact the IT Helpdesk via helpdesk@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au or 8334 2227.
ELC’s Online Etiquette Policy:
Please note that the ELC Learning Community Home Page and ELC News contain images and videos of other children. We therefore ask that you do not copy or share images or videos, especially on social media, if they contain other children.
Absences in the ELC
Student Absences
Please notify the School via one of the following methods for late arrivals/early departures and absences, ensuring a reason for the absence is included.
Text: 0428 601 957 (save to phone contacts as SPGS)
Email: attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Phone: 8334 2200 or phone the relevant room as per the contact list below.
Please include the relevant room teacher when sending via email.
ELC Room Contacts:
Bell Yett – 8155 5777
Ferguson – 8155 5776
Hallett – 8155 5775
Stonyfell – 8155 5778
ELC Immunisation Policy
Under the Government’s No Jab No Play policy, families must meet immunisation requirements to attend the ELC and receive the Child Care Subsidy. Families are required to provide all approved immunisation records to the ELC. Further information is available by clicking here.
Children who are suffering from illnesses such as those listed below must be excluded from ELC in line with our Exclusion Policy.
Influenza
Chicken Pox
Conjunctivitis
Diarrhoea
Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
High Temperature
Infectious Hepatitis
Measles
Meningitis
Mumps
Rubella (German Measles)
Scabies
Scarlet Fever
School Sores (Impetigo)
Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
Vomiting
Whooping Cough