FROM THE JUNIOR SCHOOL
Term 1
Welcome to Term 1 to all Junior School students and families, both those returning and those new to the College this year. The Elphin Campus sprang to life with a real buzz on Wednesday morning as excited and eager learners – and their teachers and Learning Assistants – began the learning adventure that will be 2022. For our youngest students (and their families) starting school for the first time, this week’s Orientation Morning and start to classes has been particularly special.
The beginning of a school year is so much about relationship building. Students of all ages renew friendships and get to know new classmates, staff and students who will share a classroom and be learners together every day and begin to learn more about each other. Staff and parents establish a learning partnership for the benefit of students and new year level staff teams are forging collaborative working teams. Relationships are critical to the successful learning and personal development of every student and these early days of Term 1 have a huge focus on establishing a positive and constructive working setting for everyone in our learning community.
The cornerstones for an exciting and engaging year of new discoveries, growth and achievements for us all are now being set in place as we share and work together to ‘find a way to higher things’. Best wishes to everyone for a fulfilling school year.
Lachie Wright
Head of Junior School
Parent-School Learning Links
The Dash is a rich source of information for parents in relation to learning and student activities. Year Level, Class, House and Cocurricular pages have a wealth of information that is continually being updated. The conneXions pages focus on literacy learning resources among other learning information.
Morning drop-offs, even though a little more fleeting than in ‘pre-COVID’ times, continue to offer the opportunity for parents to see and feel what is current in the classroom.
Year Level ‘Class’ Meetings for Prep-Year 5 over the next two weeks will be online sessions this year and all parents are invited to tune into these. Shortly after these, all families from Early Learning to Year 5 will be invited to individual Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences in classrooms. Dates for all formal meetings and events are in the online College calendar and invitations are sent out in advance of these.
At all times parents are welcome to contact their child’s class teacher as questions arise, be these related to academic, social or emotional learning.
Lachie Wright
Head of Junior School
Park and Walk
To support student safety and efficient traffic flow during the short but busy daily drop off and pick up times (8:20am to 8:45am for all and 2:50pm to 3:10pm for Early Learning/3:00pm to 3:20pm for Prep to Year 5) we are encouraging as many families as possible to consider a ‘Park and Walk’ option. Is there a location that works for you to park an appropriate (consider student age, number of children) walking distance from the campus for both drop-off and pick-up times? Information about this was sent to all families early in the week.
‘Park and Walk’ complements other parking options closer to the campus, walking to and from school for those who live fairly close to school, and the drive-through zone drop-offs and pick-ups where needed. ‘One stop’ drop-offs and pick-ups for families with more than one child at school being able to use the same gate for all siblings is also encouraged.
Parents arriving on foot for morning drop-offs are able to walk their child to the classroom. Masks are required and the number of adults in a room at one time is capped. Visitors should be on-campus for no more than 15 minutes.
Lachie Wright
Head of Junior School