In this edition
Dear Families
As we move towards the end of the semester, it is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the rich learning that has happened across the ELC. The first term involved our Learning Communities working hard to create a sense of belonging and strong relationships with each child so that they felt a connection to their educators, peers and the learning spaces. Children were introduced to daily rituals that deepened connection, strengthened learning and developed community. The Kaurna culture continued to be a thread throughout these rituals with children introduced to Kaurna culture, language and symbols.
Term 2 has seen our Learning Communities explore the function of spaces and places as well as organisational aspects of the ELC. This fit beautifully with the developments that were happening with our new Atelier space. Learning Community 1 children shared their theories of what they thought the Atelier was going to be as they watched this space evolve into the magical environment that it has become. They also explored what a Piazza space is and why our Piazza at the ELC is significant. There were many opportunities to visit the ELC Community Garden with children exploring the parts and life cycle of plants. The children also had the opportunity to experience how food gets from the garden to our plates as they engaged in a range of cooking experiences.
Learning Community 2 took a deep dive into our food program. Their journey took them on an expedition to find out who provides the food at our Centre. This inquiry provided the children with a voice as they were exposed to and identified their favourite fruits and vegetables. Children were also supported to express themselves creatively and learned about several artists who use food as inspiration.
It has been wonderful to watch the Pathway children grow, mature and develop the capabilities necessary for school. We are proud of our Pathway friends and wish them all the best for the next stage of their learning journey as they transition into Mid-Year Reception.
Liz Schembri
Director of ELC
Our Pathway to School
Today is your day.
You’re off to Great Places!
You’re off and away’
Dr Seuss
We would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate our first six months operating our Pathway to School in the ELC. Both Mrs Porplycia and Mrs McCabe are thrilled with the rich learning and friendships that have been explored during this time and feel so incredibly proud of the journey. While we celebrate our success, we also farewell a large group of children from the Pathway class 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 Learning Community 1, while other class members have only recently joined us. Either way, each child has played an important role within our community, and one that we will treasure. Over the last few weeks, the children and teachers have been reminiscing about the special times that they have had throughout their time at the ELC and the special friendships that they have made along the way. We wish them all the very best in the next chapter of their educational journey.
HAT CEREMONY – ELC to St Peter’s Girls’ School
A very special tradition for our girls transitioning to Reception at St Peter’s Girls’ School is the Hat Ceremony. This tradition was founded many years ago now and is one that is looked forward to by many. Our Pathway to School children are formally welcomed into the St Peter’s Girls’ School Community at a School assembly and are presented with a special gift from our Head of Junior School and Senior Prefects. When communicating with parents and families of children involved in this special tradition in the past, they have shared about the wonderful sense of community and belonging that this opportunity gives the children when entering a new environment.
On Monday, the children transitioning to Mid-Year Reception at St Peter’s Girls’ School attended a special assembly, which is another component in their transition journey to school. Head of Junior School Suzanne Haddy presented the children with their new school bag and hat to celebrate their transition to school. We were thrilled to share this special moment with them and as you can see by the photographs, the children were beaming with pride. We wish all girls a wonderful start to school next term and look forward to hearing more about their continued journey at St Peter’s Girls.
Kirsty Porplycia and Kathy McCabe
Important Dates
3–24 July: Vacation Care – book now!
Tuesday 25 July: Term 3 Commences
Friday August 4: Coffee Van
Wednesday August 9: Meet the Teacher Information Evening
Boori Monty Pryor Visits the ELC
It was wonderful to recently welcome back a familiar friend to St Peter’s Girls’ ELC. Boori Monty Pryor presented his usual high-energy performance including lots of music, singing, movement, dancing and storytelling. The children and staff were active participants throughout Boori’s visit. The performance combined humorous tales from his life experiences, Dreamtime stories and instructive anecdotes. The children had a marvellous time; the laughter and smiles were a clear indication of this wonderful experience.
As always, it is such a pleasure to have Boori at the ELC and it was lovely to reminisce about Boori’s previous visits. He shared some wonderful stories of the interactions he has had with our ELC children and it was clear that these connections were special to him. We look forward to welcoming Boori back in the future.
Vacation Care – Bookings Available
Vacation Care will run from Monday 3 – Monday 24 July.
Families must book the days they would like their child to attend Vacation Care. To access our online booking form, click here
Alternatively, you can contact Wolita Harding via ELCVacationCare@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.
Vacation Care runs similar to a normal day within the ELC, led by Valentina Fernandes in Learning Community 1 and Alexandra Portus in Learning Community 2. Our days are filled with a range of creative, inquiry-based and hands-on experiences, using our indoor and outdoor spaces as well as our ELC Community Garden and the School lawns. Children will frequently participate in music, dance, picnics on the lawns, gross motor skills and cooking experiences.
Similar to typical ELC days, children will need to bring their own packed lunch, hat, water bottle and a change of clothes. Due to allergies, we ask that you do not pack nuts. A healthy morning and afternoon tea and late snack will continue to be provided to children.
If you need to make changes to your booking, please email ELCVacationCare@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au.
Please note: due to staffing requirements, cancellations made after the booking period ends will incur the full day’s fee.
News from Learning Community 1
As we approach the end of term 2, we have the opportunity to pause and reflect on the growth and learning that has occurred this term. Through the lens of ‘function’ we have explored the central idea ‘People can collaborate and learn together in our community’. Through assessing children’s prior knowledge and understandings and observing their interactions with curated learning opportunities at the start of the term, we focussed on three main lines of inquiry:
- The function of plants
- The function of waste management
- The function of spaces
Through frequent visits to the ELC Community Garden and involvement in the planting and harvesting process, the children have developed early understandings of the ‘garden to plate’ process. This process involves understanding how a plant grows and what it needs to thrive. This term educators and children have adopted a scientific lens and have explored the function and system of plants and the important role they play in our everyday lives. We have explored mathematical concepts of position, exploring over and under and above and below. Children have been offered opportunities to represent their understandings and document their observations using a range of creative languages.
Sustainability is one of our core values at the ELC and one of the key principles of the Early Years Learning Framework. Each day we strive to embed sustainable practices into our rituals, supporting the children to develop their ecological awareness. Over the course of this term, we have explored our waste management systems at the ELC, researching why we have different coloured bins and what waste can go in each bin. The children have put their learning into action as they have actively sorted waste at mealtimes, supporting each other and using key research tools to determine where their waste can go.
As we investigated the function of spaces in the ELC, the children developed learning dispositions including curiosity, creativity, and collaboration. Invitations were presented to build on the children’s thinking skills and processes as they expressed wonder and interest in the purpose of spaces within the ELC including the new Atelier, the Piazza, and the classrooms within Learning Community 2.
We are excited to share the children’s documented learning and engagement in this term’s unit through their individual Portfolios which we will be sending home in the coming weeks.
Nell Tierney, Annabelle Redmond and Jess Catt
Learning Community 1
News from Learning Community 2
Reflection of our Inquiry Journey
This term’s inquiry unit has been such a joy and celebration of collaboration and community. We began with a mystery to solve, and to further enhance and enrich this learning, we have provided the children with a wide range of experiences that have nurtured their relationship with food and eating.
We have been developing the children’s research skills and how we can find out the answer to a question. We have seen the power of group learning and how when we work together to solve a problem, the opportunity to have many viewpoints and ideas has only enhanced the outcome.
Across the community, the children have been engaging in a range of experiences that have been intentionally planned to drive our learning forward. These have included:
- Exploring the role of aesthetics and beauty during our mealtimes
- Trying and tasting a wide range of fresh fruit and vegetables
- Regular cooking opportunities
- Engaging in a wide range of creative experiences inspired by famous artists including Andy Worhol and Michelangelo Caravaggio
Your child’s portfolios are now brimming with examples of their involvement in this unit of learning as well as documentation in the rooms and on our myLink page.
We have observed such a huge amount of growth in the children over the past 10 weeks and this learning and focus will continue into the school holidays.
Chloe Skoss and Laura Reiters
Learning Community 2
Save the Date – Meet the Teacher Information Evening
We invite you to attend our our Meet the Teacher Information Evening on Wednesday 9 August, 6.30pm in the ELC (enter via Hallett Road).
This is a unique opportunity to see the learning environment and hear from the teaching team about how we plan and implement our units of inquiry and gain a better understanding of the teaching and learning within our ELC context.
We recommend parents/guardians only attend this event, as it is information based.
ELC Community Coffee Van
The ELC Coffee Van is here once again on Friday 4 August from 7.30am (Hallett Road entrance).
This is a wonderful opportunity to engage with the ELC community and enjoy a hot drink on us at morning drop off. We hope to see you there!
来自ELC园长：
亲爱的家长朋友们，
到了临近学期末的时间，这是一个非常好的回顾并思考ELC过去两
第二学期我们的学习社区探索了 ELC 的各个空间和场所的功能以及作用。这也与我们崭新的工作室空间（
二号社区深入研究了我们的食品方案。孩子们想要知道是谁提供了E
非常高兴看到学前衔接(Pathway) 班级的孩子们一路的成长、
Liz Schembri
园长
Emma Huang works in Learning Community 1 on Mondays and Tuesdays from 8:30am – 4:30pm.
Child Care Subsidy (CCS) Update
We wish to inform you that the Child Care Subsidy (CCS) will be increasing from July 10. This means that most families using early childhood education and care will receive an increase to their CCS. In addition, families who were previously not eligible for CCS may now be eligible.
If you currently receive CCS and would like to know more about these changes, please refer to the following fact sheet Fact sheet – Do you already get Child Care Subsidy? – Department of Education, Australian Government
If you do not currently receive CCS and would like to know if you are eligible, please refer to the following fact sheet Fact sheet – Are you eligible for help with child care fees? – Department of Education, Australian Government
For any queries with regards to these changes, please do not hesitate to contact Sarah Elliott our ELC Enrolments and Finance Officer via selliott@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Please Help Keep our Centre Infection Free
To minimise the spread of illness please keep your child at home if they have:
- received Panadol or Nurofen in the morning
- a fever of 38 or above. Children can return to the Centre 24 hours after their last elevated temperature
- swollen glands
- a continuous runny nose
- a sore throat
- a consistent cough without a doctor’s clearance
- been unusually tired or lethargic
- been vomiting or have diarrhoea. Children should be kept home until the these symptoms have been absent for at least 24 hours.
- an undiagnosed rash
We look forward to your child returning once their symptoms are cleared so they can be happy and engaged in learning.
Remember to cover coughs and sneezes with your elbow and wash hands regularly for at least 20 seconds.
Important Allergy Information
Please remember allergy awareness when packing food for your child.
We kindly ask you to refrain from packing nuts or nut products in your child’s lunch box.
We have members of our community across the Centre with severe food allergies to the following:
- Nuts
- Dairy
- Sesame
- Fish and shellfish
- Egg
- Banana
Due to the severity of these allergies, we are asking that you be mindful of this when packing food for your child. Please ensure food is safely packaged and/or contained.
If you have any questions, please see your child’s Room Teacher. We appreciate your cooperation in keeping our community safe.
COVID-19 Information
Please find the latest guidance from SA Health:
- It is strongly recommended that students stay home if they have cold or flu-like symptoms, and test for COVID-19.
- Whether they receive a positive or negative result, they should stay home until symptoms subside (usually five to seven days).
- It is strongly recommended that parents/guardians inform the School if a student is a close contact. For further advice regarding close contacts, click here
If your child tests positive to COVID-19, please notify the School. Please also notify the School each day of absence, or provide the expected period of absence.
You can notify us via one of the following methods. Please include the name of the ELC Room. If emailing, feel free to ‘CC’ the teacher/s of the room as well.
Email: attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Text: 0428 601 957 (save to phone contacts as SPGS)
Phone: 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
For more SA Health information, click here
Please note that if your child is unwell, they should remain home until they have recovered, irrespective of the illness.
Find Out What Happens Throughout the Day at ELC
myLink is our School’s parent portal, where families have access to a range of resources including the ELC Home Page. Our ELC Home Page is a dynamic online sharing space that invites you to participate in our learning. We use this tool to house important information for families and provide a window into your child’s life at the ELC, with educators sharing documentation of teaching, specialist lessons and spontaneous moments.
This page can also be accessed through your smartphone, via the Canvas App.
Accessing myLink for the first time:
Each parent has an individual username to access our myLink Parent Portal. 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)
Accessing the Canvas Parent App for the first time:
- Ensure you have previously logged in to myLink on a PC
- Download the Canvas Parent App from your App Store
- Click the ‘Find School’ button
- Look up: stpetersgirls
- Log in using your parent username and password
- Tap on ‘ELC 2023’
- Click on ‘Front Page’ on the top right-hand side
- Here, you can navigate the page through the app
Please note: we do not use the message feature on this app, and ask families to contact their child’s teacher via email rather than this message feature.
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
If your child will not be attending ELC due to illness or otherwise, please notify the School via one of the following methods and include the name of the ELC Room.
If emailing, feel free to ‘CC’ the teacher/s of the room as well. Please also provide a reason for the absence as the School requires this for government reporting purposes.
Email: attendance@stpetersgirls.sa.edu.au
Text: 0428 601 957 (save to phone contacts as SPGS)
Phone: 8334 2200
ELC Room Contacts
-
- Stonyfell – 8155 5778
- Bell Yett – 8155 5780
- Ferguson – 8155 5776
- Hallett – 8155 5775
- Pathway – 8334 2250
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
As part of our approach to prioritising health and safety, we implement effective hygiene practices and work to prevent and effectively deal with any infectious disease in line with the Education and Care Services National Regulations and the advice of health experts. If your child has one of the following, chickenpox, measles, rubella, meningococcal or tuberculosis or any other vaccine preventable diseases we ask that you inform the Centre as soon as possible.