|
|
|
|
JSPA
|
8 February 2001 No. 1
From The Head of the Junior SchoolHappy New Year to all families and especially to the boys who have returned or commenced the new school year! 2001 is set to be an extremely busy year, none more so than celebrating our 150th birthday! I extend a very warm welcome to two new members of staff. Mr Jonathan Knight has replaced Mr Ladbury in Year Four and Mr James Robertson will be teaching Drama, in a half time capacity, to the Upper Primary. These two teachers will bring enormous levels of enthusiasm and experience to the school and I trust they both enjoy belonging to our community. I also extend congratulations to Mr Robertson who has just announced his engagement to Carolyn Sanderson. I know the school joins me in extending every best wish to Carolyn and James for their 2002 wedding. Herr Clarke will return to school next Wednesday after his study in Germany. Herr Clarke received a scholarship to attend an intensive Primary Teacher's refresher school in Hamburg. I remind parents of our class teachers for 2001.
As always, staff are available for interviews at any time and would welcome your contact. However, to ensure the smooth running of the school, I remind parents that meetings with teachers should be arranged via the Junior School Office. I also direct all parents to the 2001 Junior School Handbook where a detailed list of staff can be found. Attached to this newsletter is a list of important dates scheduled for the year. I urge every family to enter these dates onto the family calendar immediately, so to avoid unnecessary and embarrassing clashes. Two very important and immediate dates for attention are Sunday, 11 February and Sunday, 18 February. On the first Sunday there will be a service of Celebration and Dedication at Scots' Church, Collins Street, commencing at 11.00am. Whilst this is not a compulsory activity, all are welcome to share in this special service of worship. The second Sunday (18 February) will see the Torch Relay and Heritage Walk. This day has been designated a compulsory School Day and, as such, every boy is expected to be in attendance. (Junior School boys' involvement will be in the school grounds.) Whilst final details will accompany next week's Newsletter, please ensure that you have this day set aside. A series of Parent Information Nights, Social Evenings and Morning Teas are also scheduled for very early in the term and I encourage parents to make the most of these opportunities, ensuring that the school year commences smoothly, not only from an informative point of view but also socially. At the start of this new school year, I reminded the boys about what it takes to be a friend. Today, many new friends have started at our school and many old ones have returned, but together we form one school, one community and one group of friends, working together. I shared with the boys one of my favourite sayings, "If you want a friend, then you have to be a friend." and I have encouraged them to adopt this saying for themselves. We also spoke of how God wants us to treat each other, and that is that we should, "Do unto others, as we would have them do unto us". I trust that every boy makes the most of every opportunity presented to him and that each boy enjoys and accepts the challenges ahead. My thought for this coming week and indeed for the future: You have powers you never dreamed of.You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do, except the limitations in your own mind as to what you cannot do. Don't think you cannot. Think you can. Guy B. Mason JSPAHello to everyone - I trust everybody enjoyed the festive period and had a lovely break over the school holidays! It's back to school again and the JSPA has organised the following: Term 1 Welcome Morning Teas
Venue Junior School - Staff Common Room Time 8.30 am to 10.00 am You may like to bring along any young children you have with you. Your class representatives and committee members will be there to welcome you, so do come along for a cup of tea or coffee. We look forward to seeing you there. Alice Chan - President, JSPA Junior School MusicThe beginning of the year is always busy in the music department as lessons are timetabled and ensembles are set up. Please note that private instrumental lessons start in the second complete week of the school year (eg 12 February for year 2001). This is to allow time to arrange the timetable and distribute the lesson time cards. Students are issued cards with the lesson time and room during the first week of the year. These are distributed by class teachers. Voice testing is conducted for all Year Fives and Sixes on Friday 2 February and for Year Fours on Monday 5 February. This testing procedure assists us to devise our class programs for the year and to select members for the Junior School Choir. The choir consists of approximately 60 boys, selected on the basis of the tone of their singing voice, their vocal and aural skills and their committed and disciplined attitude. Details will be forthcoming regarding the Occasional Choir for boys in Years 4-6 who are not in the Junior School Choir but who love to sing. Years Five and Six Concert Band and String Orchestra will commence on 16 February. Jenni Allen - Head of Junior School Music Art NewsWelcome back everyone to a new, exciting year in the Art room. There will be many exciting projects in which the boys can be involved. As part of our Re-enactment Day on 22 March I am planning to build a large Pioneer House. I am collecting shoe boxes from all parents and boys to use as building blocks. We are also collecting tiles for the large mosaic project that will be conducted over Terms One and Two for all boys in the Junior School. I am collecting bathroom and kitchen wall type tiles of any colour and any size. Tiles are going to be broken, so they do not have to be perfect. Also, if you have any calendars from last year with paintings on them, they are most useful for the older boys Fine Arts segments in each lesson. Old Christmas cards are also useful for project work.
Thank you
Celebrate 150 MerchandiseThe order form for Celebrate 150 Merchandise indicated that orders received by 12 December 2000 would be ready for collection on 2 and 5 February. Unfortunately the manufacturer has only been able to supply Caps and Polo Tops by those dates. Orders for Caps and Polo Tops, which were received by 12 December, will be ready for collection on 2 February. T-Shirt orders will be ready for collection on Monday 12 February. Due to the initial small demand for hats, these will not be available until 16 February. SERVICE
Forthcoming Events
|
