FROM THE JUNIOR SCHOOL
Road Safety for students and all of us
Commencing on Monday 14 November there will be a new Traffic Officer supporting road safety around the Elphin Campus during the busy morning drop-off and afternoon pickup times on all school days.
Vehicle traffic flow through the ‘no parking’ drive-through zones will be a focus (2 min maximum standing time), but ensuring parking only in marked spaces nearby (ie no parking over driveways or double parking on streets) and supporting pedestrian safety in Claremont Street, Erina Street and on Elphin Road between the Erina and Claremont corners are also part of this.
With so many young children arriving or leaving in a short time window (8:20 am to 8:45 am and 2:50 pm to 3:15 pm), all of us should be very aware of the importance of young students being accompanied by an adult at all times when they are on the footpath, getting in or out of a vehicle (footpath side of vehicle only) or crossing roads. Elphin Road should only be crossed at the traffic light crossing, especially in these busy times and please note that there are no pedestrian crossings in Claremont or Erina Streets (only speed humps to slow through-traffic).
Parents walking on to the campus for drop-offs or pickups, or for meetings or school activities, should park clear of the drive-through zones. Thank you to families who are able to ‘park and walk’ to school from slightly further away, or to walk or ride to school. Note that the campus now has two new bike racks for students who ride to school.
Apart from Erina and Claremont Streets and the immediate Elphin Road block close to the campus, parking can usually be found in Cypress Street, College Street, further along Elphin Road in both directions, Dowling Street and further afield for those seeking a slightly longer walk. A radius of up to 500m from the school gates covers a lot of potential parking options!
Thank you for your support – and sometimes patience for a few minutes – as we prioritise safety for all members of the community.
Education Outdoors
Led by the College Education Outdoors staff team, all Early Learning Erina, Prep and Year 2 students have tackled a range of learning challenges and experiences this week. For the EL and Prep groups, these were one-day programs, for Year 2 it was an overnight program. The sea of tents on the Elphin oval, along with a group of happy campers, greeted the rest of the Junior School as the school day began on Friday.
Education Outdoors learning focuses on personal and character development attributes that mesh closely with these elements of classroom and cocurricular learning at school. Environmental learning, including sustainability, is also a strong theme running through Education Outdoors programs at all levels through the College, starting with our unique Bush Learning experiences in Early Learning Erina and Prep and going right through to Year 12.
Remembrance Day
This year our Year 5 Grandparents’ and Friends’ Day falls on Remembrance Day. Over 100 visitors will join the Year 5 students and staff for a special day on the Elphin Campus. Along with a 10:00 am welcome Service for the visitors, the whole Junior School will gather for a short Remembrance Day commemoration on the oval at 11:00 am.
Prep and Year 1 Sports morning
All families with students in Prep or Year 1 have been invited to the Sports Morning at the Elphin Campus on Tuesday 8 November – Year 1 commencing at 9:00 am, Prep at 10:30 am. The coffee cart will be open in Laneway prior to both starting times. Parents are welcome to drop into Laneway before joining the students on the oval. There will also be an opportunity for adults to join in a number of activities with the students, so suitable attire (at least footwear) for this is recommended.
Valedictory Register
A longstanding College tradition is the signing of the Valedictory Register at the Elphin Campus by Year 5 students as they transition to the Middle School at the Penquite Campus the following year. The Register will be in the Elphin Reception room from Friday 11 November until Friday 9 December. Students should be accompanied by a parent or guardian when they sign, which can be done between 8:15 am and 4:00 pm on any school day over these four weeks.
Lachie Wright
Head of Junior School
Coffee@Laneway
Coffee@Laneway will be available on Tuesday 8 November in support of the Prep and Year 1 Sports morning at the Elphin Campus. Coffee will be available from 8:15 am – 9:15 am and then again from 10:30 am – 11:30 am.
Coffee can be purchased for $4.00.
We hope to see you there.