In this edition
Dear Families 
Naa Marni (‘hello all’ in Kaurna language)
Welcome to Term 3 at St Peter’s Girls’ Early Learners’ Centre.
We are so excited to welcome everyone back to the ELC this term, and we extend our welcome to our new families who have started with us this semester.
Over the holiday period, those who attended ELC Vacation Care had a wonderful three weeks filled with celebrations. The Centre was filled with amazing smells from the kitchens, where all children engaged in garden-to-plate cooking experiences and enjoyed sharing their creations.
Learning Community 1 explored the vegetables growing in our ELC Community Garden, where our youngest learners had the opportunity to discover different produce and document them. In Learning Community 2, we took NAIDOC Week (July 3 – 10) as an opportunity to go deeper into our morning conversations around age-appropriate truth telling and why it is important to say our Acknowledgement of Country. We celebrated First Nations culture and art by revisiting the Tjanpi Desert Weaving artists from Central Australia, drawing inspiration from this group and creating animals ourselves which are displayed in the ELC Foyer. The Learning Community 2 children also enjoyed cooking each day and carried on their interests in storytelling, where the children have been extending their literacy skills by creating books about Ferguson Park and creating recipes from our cooking experiences.
We are excited to continue our inquiry into transformation this term as we exchange each Learning Community’s central ideas from Term 2. Learning Community 1 (Stonyfell and Bell Yett Rooms) will be focusing on ‘Welcoming transformation can support wellbeing’, and Learning Community 2 (Ferguson and Hallett Rooms) will be exploring ‘Welcoming transformation can develop knowledge’. We are eager to extend and unpack the concept of change and transformation as children and educators are deeply engaged with the myriad of possibilities that we offer. We will be supporting and documenting the emotions of the children embracing their new surroundings in Learning Community 1. We will also be inspired by the change and transformation of Ferguson Park, which will act as our laboratory as children explore scientific concepts and reflect on the cycle of life. We are excited to share our inquiries with you.
To kickstart this term, we hosted a wonderful Welcome Morning Tea where families, staff and children were able to come together and share their spaces. We thank everyone who joined us this morning, as these shared moments are the foundation of our ELC community.
Next week, we look forward to inviting new and existing families to the Centre to attend our Information Evening. This is an opportunity to listen to your child’s teacher unpack what and how your child is learning throughout their time at ELC. This will focus on the curriculum areas your child is engaging in and explain what inquiry-based learning looks like in our Centre.
For existing families, we hope you enjoyed taking home your child’s ELC Learning Portfolio over the holiday period, engaging in their educational growth and development. We thank those families who have returned their portfolios, and for others ask that if your child is continuing in the same Learning Community that you return these so we can continue to add to them.
We cannot believe how fast this year is travelling and we are excited to slow down and be present this term, being mindful not to rush through everyday tasks and special moments as we celebrate the joys of childhood together.
Ngaitalya (‘respect’ in Kaurna language)
Henrietta Balnaves
ELC Manager
Important Dates
Monday 8 August: ELC Information Evening
Wednesday 31 August: Fathers and Special Friends’ Breakfast
September 19, 20, 26: Parent-Teacher Conversations
New Chapter for Love of Literacy
At St Peter’s Girls’ ELC, literacy is embedded in all that we do. We understand active play is the vehicle that helps young children’s brains build early communication skills, which mature and develop into formal reading and writing skills later in their schooling years.
Book-making is just one technique we have been using, allowing children to express their thoughts in a creative and fun way. It empowers the children to feel they are competent storytellers and writers, even if they are yet to master the skill of letter formation.
Watch our video to see how we’re developing a love of literacy at ELC.
Kathy McCabe
Learning Community 2
Reminder: ELC Information Evening
This is a friendly reminder for all new and existing families, that our ELC Information Evening with your child’s teacher will be held on Monday 8 August from 6.30–7.30pm in the ELC.
This is a wonderful opportunity to listen to your child’s teachers unpack what and how your child is learning at the ELC. This will focus on the curriculum areas your child is engaging in for the semester ahead, and explain what inquiry-based learning looks like in our Centre.
Learning Community 1 parents will be in the Stonyfell Room, and Learning Community 2 parents will be in the Ferguson Room. This information session is for parents and guardians, and we kindly ask that children do not accompany.
We look forward to sharing our pedagogy with you.
You’re Invited to Our Fathers and Special Friends’ Breakfast
You’re invited to a breakfast on Wednesday 31 August from 7.30am in the ELC. We will be celebrating the inspirational people in the children’s lives including fathers, grandfathers and uncles.
We look forward to strengthening the wonderful connections we have with our ELC families.
Staff Spotlight
This week’s Staff Spotlight focuses on Olivia Parente, one of our lovely new Co-educators in Learning Community 1. Olivia has over three years’ experience working in early education, completing her Certificate 3 in Early Childhood Education and is currently finishing her Diploma while working at the ELC.
What is your favourite part of working in the St Peter’s Girls’ ELC?
My favourite part about working at St Peter’s Girls’ ELC is the beautiful environment and working with the amazing educators and teachers. I love working with children because I enjoy watching them grow and learn, and it’s so special to be making a difference in their lives.
What does a typical day look like in your Learning Community?
A typical day in LC1 consists of lots of interacting with the children and providing the best possible rituals for them. One of the things that makes our ELC so special is the teaching and learning that is provided to the children, you can see it really makes a difference in their development.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Things I like to do in my spare time include exercising and going for walks, going to the beach, and catching up with my friends and family.
Important Reminders
As we begin a new term together, please carefully read the following important reminders:
- Please close all doors and safety gates behind you when entering and exiting the ELC. Whilst we appreciate the kind gesture, please refrain from holding open entry/exit doors or gates for other children unless they are accompanied by an adult.
- We ask families to bring your entry key fobs to ELC each day. If you need to order a new fob and/or report a lost one, email selliott@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.
- Please ensure children wear appropriate shoes and clothing for our indoor and outdoor activities; this includes no dress ups or long necklaces.
The welfare of all children in our community is our utmost priority, and we appreciate your cooperation.
Henrietta Balnaves
ELC Manager
COVID-19 Information
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’).
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 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
Should your child develop any symptoms, even mild ones, they must not attend ELC and should be tested for COVID-19. Those with symptoms who test negative using a RAT must undertake a PCR test to confirm that result. Students who have previously tested positive and have completed isolation in the past 28 days do not need to undertake testing.
Under SA Health protocols, asymptomatic children who are close contacts can attend ELC, provided they undertake 5 Rapid Antigen Tests over 7 days and receive negative results.
来自黄老师的信息
亲爱的家长朋友们，
欢迎来到圣彼得堡女校早教中心的第三学期。
我们很激动的欢迎我们所有孩子和他们的家庭的回归，同样我们十分高兴的是迎来了新孩子们和他们的家庭，一同进入下半学年的学习。
假期期间，参加ELC假期日托班的孩子们快乐地渡过了充满各种庆祝活动的三周。幼儿园里充满了来自厨房的“奇妙香味”，所有的孩子都参与到“从花园到盘子”的烹饪体验中，并与他们的伙伴们一同分享他们的创作。
学习社区1的孩子们探索了在ELC社区花园中种植的蔬菜，在那里我们最小的学生有机会发现不同的农产品并记录下来。在学习社区2中，我们以NAIDOC周(7月3日- 10日)为契机，更深入地探讨了我们的晨间小组讨论，在他么这个年龄去讲述事实的真相，以及为什么说我们对国家的承认以及和解是重要的。我们通过回访来自澳大利亚中部的Tjanpi沙漠编织艺术家来庆祝原住民的文化和艺术，从这个群体中汲取灵感，自己创造动物。这些都展示在ELC的大厅里。学习社区2的孩子们也加入到每日的烹饪体验中，并延续了他们讲故事的热情，孩子们通过编写关于弗格森公园的书和根据我们的烹饪经验创造食谱来扩展他们的读写能力。
我们很高兴在这个学期继续我们对“转变”这一课题的探索，因此我们学习社区之间交换了从第二学期以来每个学习社区的中心思想。学习社区1 (Stonyfell和Bell Yett房间)将专注于“转型可以支持我们的身心健康”，学习社区2 (Ferguson和Hallett房间)将探索“转型可以拓展我们的知识”。随着孩子们和教师们深度参与到我们提供的无数的学习可能中，我们渴望扩展和解开“变化”和“转型”的概念。在学习社区1中，我们将支持和记录孩子们感受新环境的情绪变化。我们也将从弗格森公园的转变中得到启发，它将成为我们的实验室，让孩子们探索科学概念，思考生命的循环。我们很高兴与您分享我们的探讨。
为庆祝新学期的开始，我们在ELC举办了一个精彩的“欢迎早茶会”活动，让家庭、员工和孩子们聚在一起，分享他们的学习空间。我们感谢今天早上加入我们的每一个人，因为这些分享的时刻是我们早教中心社区的基础。
下周，我们期待新的和现有的家庭来ELC参加我们的“信息交流会”。这提供让您了解孩子们在ELC期间学习什么和如何学习的机会。这将集中在您的孩子参与的课程，并解释在我们ELC什么是探究性学习。
我们很高兴家长朋友们在假期里带回了孩子们的学习文档，回顾了他们的学习和发展。我们感谢那些归还了他们学习文档的家庭。欢迎任何的疑问，例如，您的孩子的学习文档是否归还到原来学习社区。以便我们可以继续添加他们的学习记录。
我们无法相信这一年过得如此之快，我们很高兴能放慢脚步，见证这一学期的到。当我们一同庆祝童年的欢乐时光，我们不妨可以想一想不必如此匆忙地去完成那些日程以及“特别的时刻”。
Emma Huang works in Learning Community 1 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 9am – 5pm.
News from Learning Community 1
We warmly welcome all of our families to Term 3, especially new children who are joining our Learning Community. As we embark upon a new semester, the central idea we are exploring is:
‘Welcoming transformation can support wellbeing’
Wellbeing is so important for children, directly impacting how they develop and learn. This central idea will enable us to talk about, acknowledge and welcome feelings and emotions more intentionally. This fits in so well with not only the new friends who are starting their journey in the ELC, but for all children in the Learning Community, who are growing and embracing new challenges and changes.
Throughout the term, the line of inquiry we will be focusing on includes:
- Identifying feelings and how they can be expressed
- Recognising and acknowledging each other’s feelings
- Exploring strategies for problem-solving and self-regulation
- Developing and strengthening relationships with peers and educators
We would also like to welcome all families to our upcoming ELC Information Evening on Monday 8 August from 6.30 – 7.30pm. This is a terrific opportunity for families to learn more about the daily life of the rooms and how the program is developed and implemented in the ELC.
Jessica Guimaraes and Jess Catt
Learning Community 1
News from Learning Community 2
Change and Transformation: Our Focus for Term 3
Term 3 central idea: ‘Transformation can support the development of knowledge’
This term, we have welcomed many new children who have transitioned into Learning Community 2. We are also excited to welcome back all of our existing children and families. In Term 3, we will be building on our learning from last term with the concepts of change and transformation firmly at the forefront of our daily discoveries.
Last term, we focused on change and transformation of ourselves and our emotions. Many children also investigated changes in the natural world, and this is the area we will continue to explore.
During our first week together, the educators began discussing the word ‘transformation’. We have also been reading the children’s book Tap the Magic Tree by Christie Matherson, and have been exploring Ferguson Park, using our senses to carefully notice and observe the park and the changes that have occurred.
The rooms have been set up with a range of experiences that support this learning focus, allowing the children to revisit these concepts through play and collaboration.
We are excited to see the direction this learning takes and you will be able to watch this learning evolve through our myLink page, ELC News articles and documentation in the rooms.
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