Dear Families
This term, our ELC has been anchored by our Term 1 central idea that ‘A welcoming community can strengthen connections.’ This was evident as we welcomed many new families into the ELC for the first time, whilst continuing to reinforce our relationships with existing families.
Although we have not yet been able to welcome families into our classrooms, we have continued to share our learning and other special moments in the ELC Foyer, as well as on our Learning Community Home Pages. Our Parent-Teacher Conversations have also been a great way to share children’s progress with families via their portfolios.
We’ve engaged in many wonderful community events, such as our ELC Twilight Picnic on Chiverton Lawns, and our morning drop-off coffee van for parents. These moments are special to us and are what makes our ELC community so strong. A huge thank you to our growing Friends of the ELC group who are behind these community events.
We also welcomed back our Kaurna Elder Tamaru, and enjoyed embracing the history and culture of Kaurna people as we walked through Ferguson Park together. We cannot wait for more frequent Ferguson Park explorations in Term 2, with the support of some very generous volunteer parents.
We’ve had a wonderful start to the year, which is evident in our classrooms as children are settled, confident and happily diving deep into their learning and inquiries. Each day at ELC has been filled with laughter, wonder and curiosity, and we are thankful to be able to share this together.
In lieu of our End of Term Morning Tea, we welcome you to join us for a coffee and a hot cross bun on Thursday 14 April from 8am. Our coffee van will be waiting to take your order, and our wonderful ELC staff will be there for a quick, socially-distanced chat.
We are excited to continue our learning journey during the Vacation Care period, and I wish everyone in our ELC community a safe and restful holiday break before we come back together for Term 2.
Kind regards
Henrietta Balnaves
ELC Manager
Important Dates
Thursday 14 April: End of Term Coffee Van
April 15 – 18: Easter (ELC closed)
April 19 – 29: Vacation Care
Monday April 25: Public Holiday (ELC closed)
Important COVID-19 Information
Families are reminded that, under current COVID-19 protocols, parents are still limited from being inside the learning spaces across all sections of the ELC and School. As such, our team will continue to assist families in the Foyer during drop-off and pick-up times.
We ask that all parents remain in the Foyer while an ELC staff member comes to welcome your child into their room or brings them to you for collection. Parents must also wear a mask, maintain social distancing and use the hand sanitiser provided.
If your child tests positive to COVID-19, notify us immediately. Please also advise the type of test (RAT/PCR), the date your child’s test was taken and the date symptoms started (if no symptoms, note ‘asymptomatic’).
Where possible, to help limit the amount of telephone traffic, please notify us via email or text:
Email: attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Text: 0428 601 957 (save to phone contacts as SPGS)
If you do need to notify us over the phone, please call the Front Office on 8334 2200.
If children are displaying symptoms, it is mandatory that we send them home. SA Health guidelines advise that symptoms include:
- Fever (a temperature of 37.5˚C or higher) or chills
- Cough
- Loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Tiredness (fatigue)
- Runny or blocked nose
- Shortness of breath (difficulty breathing)
- Nausea, vomiting or diarrhoea
- Headache
- Muscle or joint pain
- Loss of appetite
If children do develop COVID-related symptoms, they need to be tested for COVID-19 and require a PCR test with receipt of a negative result and resolution of symptoms before return to ELC can be considered. Children who have previously tested positive and have completed isolation in the past 12 weeks do not need to undertake testing.
Families can access a dedicated page on the myLink parent portal providing the number of new reported cases of children who have recently attended the School and tested positive to COVID-19. The case numbers are listed across year groups and ELC Learning Communities and will be updated each weekday afternoon.
The COVID-19 Case Reporting page can be found via the myLink parent portal in the ‘School Documents’ section under the ‘COVID-19 Information’ tab: click here
Students in year groups/Learning Communities with cases listed should be treated as classroom contacts. SA Health has advised that classroom contacts without symptoms can continue attending school/ELC.
The ELC is Going Contactless
We are pleased to share that from Term 2, the ELC will be offering a contactless sign-in/out solution, providing families with added convenience and further enhancing our already stringent hygiene standards.
Simply follow these three easy steps:
1. Open the camera app on your smartphone.
2. Scan the QR code on the iCheck-In iPad.
3. You will be taken to the familiar iCheck-In webpage where you can continue to sign your child in/out as you’ve previously done on the Centre’s iPad.
This new process means you can easily sign your child in and out via your phone, without having to touch the Centre’s iPad. You will only be able to access the iCheck-In webpage once for each time you scan the QR code. This is aimed at preventing families from signing their child in or out by accident.
If you do not have your phone with you or are unable to use a phone to complete this process, the Centre’s iCheck-In iPad will still be available.
We’re looking forward to this transition and hope you enjoy the simplified process. As always, if you have any queries please email me.
Henrietta Balnaves
ELC Manager
Vacation Care Bookings Closed
This is a gentle reminder for families that bookings for our Vacation Care program are now closed. Thank you to all the families who have booked their children into our wonderful Vacation Care program. Please also note ELC will be closed on the two public holidays; Monday 18 April and Monday 25 April.
As Vacation Care is staffed based on these bookings we are unable to welcome late bookings, and cancellations after the booking closing date of Friday 1 April will incur the full day’s fee.
We appreciate your understanding and wish all our ELC families a safe and restful holiday break.
Enjoy a Coffee on Us!
To celebrate the end of Term 1, our coffee van will be at the Hallett Road entrance from 8am on Thursday 14 April, ready to take your order as you drop off your children. Our ELC staff will be there, and this is another great opportunity to have a chat with them. Please wear a mask and practise social distancing.
Introducing Our New Stonyfell Room Teacher
It is our pleasure to introduce you to Mrs Jessica Guimaraes (pronounced “Ghi-mar-es”) who will be our new Stonyfell Room Teacher from Term 2, taking over from Miss Annabelle Redmond as she begins her maternity leave.
Mrs Jessica Guimaraes holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Masters of Early Childhood Education with over 8 years’ experience in teaching, both in Brazil and here in Australia. With a passion for literacy in early childhood, we are very excited for her to lead the Stonyfell Room for the remainder of 2022.
If you see her in the Foyer, please do not hesitate to say hello!
Caterina Pennestri
ELC Educational Leader
Sustainability in the ELC
To support our youngest citizens of the ELC on their sustainability journey, the educators in Learning Community 1 provide opportunities for the children to plant, care for and taste a range of fresh produce in the ELC Community Garden. During recent visits to our garden, the children harvested some limes and passionfruit, which they brought back to the Learning Community to sample, using the limes to create a delicious tangy lime juice!
As the seasons change, the patches in the ELC Community Garden have been cleared, ready for our winter planting. We have begun visiting the garden in small groups to brainstorm ideas about what we could plant next. The children have been sharing their favourite fruits and vegetables to eat as suggestions for our new crops, and have been recording these ideas using the language of drawing.
We have started preparing the vegetable garden ready for planting by wetting the soil and digging through organic matter full of nutrients. Over the coming weeks, we will further research and explore seasonal changes, and which produce will grow best during the cooler months as we get ready to plant our crops!
Jess Catt and Courtenay Warren
Learning Community 1
Fun in the Junior School with a Giant Obstacle Course
Our inaugural Giving Day will be held next Thursday 14 April to raise funds for our new Gym. To support this vital cause, our School girls are aiming to collectively Move a Million Metres through various physical and sporting challenges. Our Reception to year 3 students got the ball rolling by taking on a Giant Obstacle Course spanning the entire length of our School! To get behind the girls, you can donate to our Giving Day here.
Can You Lend a Helping Hand in the ELC?
If you have an afternoon or morning spare, we would love more volunteers to join us as we explore Ferguson Conservation Park. We try to get out to Ferguson Park as much as possible to provide the children with rich learning experiences; however, this is deemed an excursion and requires higher ratios of adults to children.
Volunteering at the ELC is a fantastic opportunity to connect with the ELC community, and our treasured walks in Ferguson Park allow the children to deepen their relationship with their natural environment.
To be an ELC volunteer, we require a copy of a Working with Children Check (which can be processed free of charge through the School) and proof of COVID-19 vaccinations. If you would like to get involved, or have any other queries, please email me via hbalnaves@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
We look forward to seeing you at the ELC!
Henrietta Balnaves
ELC Manager
Enjoy a Ladies’ Night Out!
The Saints Girls’ community presents: Ladies’ Night Out! Join us on Friday 6 May from 7pm at the Feathers Hotel for a wonderful opportunity to meet and mingle with other women in the Saints Girls’ community. Tickets are $50 each and include gourmet finger food and a drink on arrival.
Bookings close at 5pm, Monday 2 May. Click here to book tickets.
A fundraising raffle will be drawn on the night; tickets can be purchased online or with cash at the event.
For more information, contact Fiona McGregor via 8334 2225 or fmcgregor@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Supported by the Friends of The Arts
来自黄老师的信息
亲爱的家长朋友们，
本学期，我们的ELC以我们第一个学期的中心理念“一个欢迎的社区可以加强彼此的联系”为基础，迎来了许多新家庭的加入，同时也继续增强了我们与现有家庭的联系。
尽管我们还未能欢迎家长们进入我们孩子学习所在的教室，但我们在ELC的门厅和我们的学习社区主页上分享我们的学习和其他特别学习时刻。我们的“家长与老师的一对一对话”也是一个很好的方式，通过他们的“学习文档”与家庭分享孩子的进步。
我们参加了许多精彩的社区活动，比如我们在草坪上的“ELC暮光野餐会”，以及我们为家长们准备的“咖啡早班车”。这些时刻对我们来说是特别的，使我们的ELC社区紧密联系在一起。非常感谢我们不断壮大中的“ELC家委会“，感谢他们对我们社区活动的强烈支持。
我们也欢迎我们的土著长老Tamaru的回归。当我们一起走过弗格森公园时，我们尽享这片土地上原驻民的历史和文化。我们已经迫不及待的期待第二学期的到来，在我们家长志愿者的支持陪同下，带着孩子们加入到弗格森公园进行更多的探索学习。
今年我们有了一个美好的开始，这在我们的课堂上是显而易见的。孩子们安定、自信、快乐地深入学习和探究。在ELC的每一天都充满了欢笑、惊奇和好奇，我们很感激能够一起分享这些。
取代我们期末早茶会的是：我们欢迎您在4月14日星期四上午8点加入我们，届时我们为大家准备了咖啡和热十字面包。我们的咖啡车会等着您点餐，我们优秀的ELC员工会在那里进行简短的并保持社交距离的聊天。
我们很激动的是能在假期日托班继续孩子们的学习之旅。预祝ELC社区每一个朋友在我们回到第二学期的学习之前渡过一个安全的、宁静的假期。
Emma Huang works in Learning Community 2 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9am – 5pm.
News from Learning Community 1
As we approach the end of each term, educators prioritise time together to reflect on all that has been achieved and what we have learnt. Upon welcoming a large group of new children and their families into the Learning Community, we focused primarily on allowing time for connection. Connection with one another, with new spaces and rituals, and with materials and resources. We observed as these children gradually established what it means to be a part of a group, and felt a sense of pride as we witnessed this new group establish a sense of belonging and comfort within our community.
Throughout the term, the older children continuing with us in the Learning Community have been invited to participate in small group experiences designed to challenge and extend concentration, problem-solving and social skills in patience and sharing. Friendships within this older group have strengthened as play skills and an awareness of others have developed further. As the older children prepare to commence their final term with us, opportunities for leadership and independence have been promoted as they prepare to transition to the next Learning Community.
There are many things to celebrate as we approach the end of Term 1; above all, the emphasis we have placed on embracing moments of joy across our two classrooms. We hope you all have a wonderful Easter break and look forward to reconnecting in Term 2.
Annabelle Redmond and Jess Catt
Learning Community 1
News from Learning Community 2
Learning Community 2 commenced our year with the words welcome, belonging and connection as our starting point. These words have shaped our learning and the direction of our inquiry, which in turn shapes a large portion of our curriculum and everyday. Our team works hard to make this learning practical and useful for our children.
We began exploring what we thought ‘welcome’ means, and how it feels to be welcomed. The children engaged in a range of intentionally planned experiences relating to how they feel at ELC and how they can help their peers feel welcome. As we progressed further through our weeks, several children’s books inspired our investigations and we moved into exploring the concept of belonging and connection. Over this time we also began observing a need to support our children with verbalising, exploring and managing their emotions, and this has driven the remainder of our inquiry.
Developing children’s emotional intelligence is a pivotal part of their overall development. Being able to identify, accept and manage feelings and emotions supports children’s mental health development. As a society, we can be quick to dismiss feelings or only to focus on those feelings that we deem desirable. But in the ELC, we have been working closely with the children to build on their feelings vocabulary, identify where they may feel certain feelings in their body and to normalise all feelings.
We have supported and guided the children to begin to develop a range of strategies they can use to move through certain feeling and emotions. This learning is not going to end when the term does, as we will be carrying these exploration into Term 2 and beyond. We are looking forward to sharing your child’s individual involvement in this inquiry during our Parent-Teacher Conversations this week.
Nell Tierney, Kathy McCabe 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:
Each parent has an individual username to access our myLink parent portal.
Your username is {ID+}@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Please note that the username is your ID number followed by @stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Your ID number has been provided to you in an email from the School
If you have not accessed myLink before or have forgotten your password, please follow these steps:
- Visit https://mylink.stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
- Sign in with your parent username
- Click on ‘Forgot my password’
- Make sure the ‘email’ address is your parent username, type in the code, then click the blue ‘Next’ button
- Enter your mobile number registered with the School, with the area code (Australia is +61), dropping the 0 at the beginning (e.g. +61 400000000). Then select ‘Text’
- Enter the security code sent to your mobile number
- Enter the password you would like to use and click ‘Finish’
- Return to the login screen at https://mylink.stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au to access myLink
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 our IT Hub 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