In this edition
Dear Families
Term 2 has been a hive of activity with rich learning occurring in all areas of the ELC. We began the term with a visit from Charlie Aykroyd from Australia Green Clean who has supported us to have clarity around our responsibility for our waste system. Each Learning Community has now assumed actions to support this in our every day, and we have all recognised that having a full landfill bin is not a good outcome.
The ELC has partaken in a purposeful service learning activity this term, supporting The Smith Family with our Backpack Appeal. The essential element with this work was for student action to make a difference to others. We were so proud of our young students for collecting the items to go in the packs and then carefully sorting them, so each backpack had each item. In total, we had over 30 backpacks which have been safety delivered to The Smith Family offices for distribution. This will indeed make a difference to the lives of others as well as leaving a lasting impression on our students.
Reconciliation Week was a time for us to bring our important work to the forefront. We have had a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) since 2019 and we are continually building on our capacity to enact this across the community. Being on Kaurna land reminds us of our responsibilities as citizens to care for the land and its flora and fauna. Most importantly, we need to care for the people and be reminded of the significance of First Nation People. Kaurna elder Tamaru has taught us our Acknowledgement of Country in language and, together with pride, we say this daily.
We conclude the term being reminded of the journey travelled by our ELC students who so proudly move into Mid-Year Reception next term. Many have been with us for at least three years and have had a very strong connection to the ELC community. We wish them all the best as they enter their next chapter and thank them and their families for all they have done to support us at ELC.
We look forward to welcoming a new group of families in Term 3 as well as transitioning many Learning Community 1 friends into Learning Community 2. These changes will reshape our ELC, but the foundation of our work will hold us in great stead for a smooth beginning. We look forward to Term 3 and wish you all a safe and relaxing break.
Kate Mount
Director of Early Learning
Important Dates
Friday 25 June: Last day of Term 2
Monday 28 June – Monday 19 July: Vacation Care
Tuesday 20 July: Term 3 commences
Vacation Care Bookings Now Closed
Thank you to all those families who have booked their children in for our Vacation Care program. Bookings are now closed. For all further inquiries, please email ELCVacationCare@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Treasured Memories at ELC Hat Ceremony
A very special tradition for our girls transitioning to Mid-Year Reception at St Peter’s Girls’ School is the ELC Hat Ceremony. This event was founded some years ago now and is one that is looked forward to by many. The ELC children are formally welcomed into the ‘big school’ at a School Assembly where they are presented with their School hat and bag by Head of Junior School Suzanne Haddy.
When communicating with parents and families of children involved in this presentation in the past, they have placed high importance on the sense of community and belonging that this gives the children when entering a new environment. Children and families’ sense of belonging in a setting is strengthened by the transition practices that identify and place the child at the forefront.
We were thrilled to share this moment with our 2021 Mid-Year Receptions this week, and as you can see in the video, the children were beaming with pride. We wish them all a wonderful start to school next term and look forward to hearing more about their continued journey at St Peter’s Girls.
Kirsty Porplycia
Learning Community 2
Caring for All Animals, Great and Small
Learning Community 1
ELC Enrolment Requirements
Thank you to those families who have let us know your requirement for days of enrolment moving forward. We are currently preparing our 2022 intake offers and need to ensure our current families have their allocated days in place.
Please notify me via selliott@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au if you require additional days moving forward in 2022, or if you are leaving the Centre.
Sarah Elliott
ELC Enrolments and Finance Officer
Learning Community 2 School Transition
“Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away.”
– Dr Seuss
At St Peter’s Girls’ Early Learners’ Centre, we are committed to ensuring that any child leaving our community has a smooth transition to their new environment. We feel this is an essential part of a child’s foundation to their education. We aim to work in partnership with the new educational setting where information is communicated to the educators to provide a seamless transition for both the child and their family.
At the end of term, we farewell a large group of children in Learning Community 2 who are transitioning to school. Many of these children have been a part of the St Peter’s Girls’ ELC community since they were in Playgroup, and others who have recently joined us. Either way, each child has played an important role within our community, one that we will treasure.
Over the past few weeks, the children and teachers have been reminiscing about the special times they have had throughout their time at the ELC and the friendships they have made. The children have engaged in Transition Visits where they have had the privilege of meeting their new school teacher. We wish them all the very best in the next chapter of their educational journey.
Learning Community 2 Teachers
ELC Garden Redevelopment
The transformation of our Hallett Garden is about to begin, with works commencing next Monday 28 June. This vibrant redevelopment is scheduled to be complete by mid-August 2021.
Please note that while the works are underway, the ELC’s Hallett Road entrance will not be accessible. Families will need to use the ELC’s back entrance next to the Chapel. The gate code is C2345. The iCheckIn iPads will be moved to the Piazza for your convenience.
There will also be some changes to parking on Hallett Road, however this should only impact a handful of parking spaces.
The new garden is a vision of ours to reimagine this space as a dynamic, outdoor environment filled with open-ended play spaces, traces of our previous inquiries and symbolism of our connection to Kaurna culture.
We thank you for your patience and understanding during the works, and we look forward to sharing our brilliant new garden with you later in the year.
Kate Mount
来自黄老师的信息
亲爱的家长们，
第二学期是一个充满了各种丰富活动的一个学期。这学期一开始，我们迎来了来自澳大利亚绿色清洁组织的查理·艾克罗伊德(Charlie Aykroyd)的访问，她支持并帮助我们确立对垃圾分类处理系统的责任。每一天每个学习社区现在都在采取行动去支持这一实践。我们都认识到，当红色垃圾桶被装满时，那并不是一件好事。
ELC加入了一个有意义有目标的“服务学习”活动，这个学期通过我们的“书包召集“活动来支持史密斯家庭。这项工作的基本要素是让学生了解他们的行动对他人产生的影响。孩子们收集了要装进背包里的物品，并仔细分类，确保每个背包里都有各类文具。我们为此而感到十分的自豪。总共有超过30个背包被安妥的送到了史密斯家庭办公室进行分发。这一做法确实会对其他人的生活产生影响，也会给我们的学生留下深刻的印象。
“和解周”是本学期我们放在首位的重要工作。自2019年以来，我们已经有了一个RAP（和解行动计划），我们正在断加强我们的能力，使这一计划在整个社区中实现。在原住民的土地上，这提醒我：作为公民，我们有责任保护这片土地及其动植物。最重要的是，我们需要关心这片土地上的人们，并牢记“原住人民”的重要性。我们每天自豪地说着土著长老Tamaru教我们对这片土地的认知的语言。
在这个学期即将结束之时，也意味着，在下一学期很多孩子们将骄傲地迈入小学预备班的学习。许多孩子在我们ELC已经有3年多了，并且与ELC社区有着非常紧密的关系。我们祝愿我们的孩子们顺利进入他们的下一个篇章，并感谢他们和他们的家人所做的一切，在ELC对我们的支持。
我们期待着在第三学期新家庭的到来，以及从学习社区1迈入学习社区2学习的朋友们。这些变化将重塑我们的ELC，但我们良好的基础将为我们带来一个平稳且美好的新开始。我们期待着第三学期的到来，希望大家都能渡过一个安全轻松的假期。
Emma Huang works in Learning Community 2 on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9am – 5pm.
Staff Spotlight
Wolita is a passionate early childhood educator working in Learning Community 1. With a decade of experience in early childhood learning, she’s settled at Stonyfell and loves our dedicated ELC community.
What is your teaching background?
I have a Diploma in Early Childhood and Education and began my teaching career at Annesley Junior School. I am very passionate about professional development and have been attending Reggio Hub meetings since 2014. As a student, I was a volunteer at the exhibition of The Hundred Languages of Children held at the National Art Gallery, and a few years later, I was fortunate to be showcasing the work that Mel Angel and I did alongside children from Annesley Junior School at an exhibition held here at St Peter’s Girls’ ELC.
Why are you passionate about working with children?
Seeing the joy on their faces when they come to the ELC in the mornings to share their day with the educators and their friends. One of my passions is working with clay. It brings a smile to my face and joy to my heart when we get our hands dirty with the clay, and seeing the look of accomplishment on the children’s faces when they create their sculptures.
What makes the St Peter’s Girls’ ELC special?
Our strong and genuine connection to the Kaurna culture. Being able to work and learn alongside the children from what Kaurna elder Tamaru has to teach and share with us about his rich history and culture. Seeing the children embracing this and living with respect for others and the land we are on.
What is your favourite memory from the St Peter’s Girls’ ELC?
I have so many good memories at the ELC, but a definite standout must be when we had Songs in Ferguson Park with Ned Baulderstone. We came together with families and children in Ferguson Park, singing the songs that the children wrote alongside Ned, feeling the joy and connections we have as a community and with the park, and singing the songs that link us to each other and the Kaurna culture.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
I love spending time with my family and friends. Enjoying nature and each other. We love having a good BBQ, sitting around the fire, talking and just being together.
News from Learning Community 1
The end of an ELC semester is always filled with emotions for both families and educators, as our oldest learners prepare to transition to Learning Community 2. Many of these children have been with us in Learning Community 1 for 18 months. This is a window of time in childhood that educators feel extremely privileged to be a part of; to play a special part in the lives of young children as they develop a sense of belonging and confidence within the community beyond home.
Our intentional group experiences and rituals in Learning Community 1 have focused on developing the social skills that lay the foundation for learning and for being part of a community. We’ve been together for the good times and also the trickier times, learning side-by-side as we maintain our focus on developing the whole child and always embracing the moments that bring us joy.
We have spent the last weeks of this term celebrating the endless special moments, rituals, stories, games and friendships we have created together as a rich and vibrant Learning Community. As we stop to reflect on the close relationships we have with each other, we acknowledge how each of our identities has been impacted by those around us – who we are as an individual and as part of a group.
Term 3 will bring fresh adventures as we welcome new families into the Learning Community to join those continuing with us, getting to know one another and establishing a space to flourish in. We wish our families transitioning to Learning Community 2 every happiness as they continue their ELC journey; we hold a special place in our hearts for each of you.
Annabelle Redmond and Jess Catt
Learning Community 1
News from Learning Community 2
At the end of every term, we take a moment as a teaching team to reflect. We reflect on the special times, the challenging times, and the growth and progress of each child. We sit together and talk about the joy we have experienced being your child’s teacher. This term, we have reflected on the precious times that we have referred to as the joy of childhood. The fondest moments we shared were those spent in the sandpit making rivers and lakes, creating ‘chocolate cakes’ made from mud and water, playing games on Chiverton Lawns and telling funny stories where everyone contributed.
This term has given us the opportunity to engage the children in practical, hands-on experiences to further develop their listening skills. Whilst they have been engaged in joyful experiences playing games and trying new experiences, the teachers have been working hard to scaffold their listening capacity. We have explained to the children the importance of listening and we have been thrilled to see these learnt skills being transferred into their everyday experiences and play.
These fun and joyful experiences have been enjoyed as a collective and the children eagerly ask when we are visiting the School again to play games. As early childhood teachers, we always aim to engage children in unique ways that develop the whole child. Their social, emotional, cognitive and physical needs are catered for in order to develop a solid foundation for lifelong learning and wellbeing.
Nell Tierney, Laura Reiters and Kirsty Porplycia
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