From the Head of Junior School

It was wonderful seeing all forms of book characters come to life in this year’s annual Book Week Parade. This year’s theme of Reading is Magic was personified with our community of students, staff, parents, caregivers, and grandparents all coming together in the spirit of joy. Fifty or more of our Year 12 students brought great energy to the event all dressed in costume, reminiscing over their share of Book Week parades when they were dressing up at the Junior School Book Week celebrations so many years ago.

Books play a significant role in our lives. They are more than just words printed on paper, as they allow us to escape and be lost in different worlds, real or imagined. Literature has the power to inspire change and spark new life in mind and heart. There is no greater gift a child can receive than dreaming of all the goings on in the world between the covers of books.

Thank you to all the parents and caregivers for joining our celebration. We love the creative costumes and thank you for supporting this exciting day. The children have enjoyed dressing up almost as much as the staff have! Thank you to our teacher-librarian, Adriana McDonald, for creating this opportunity to celebrate books through a plethora of activities including the book stalls, the parade, visiting authors, and presentations going on over this week and next.

Our ongoing commitment to the arts was shown through our annual engagement in the South Australian Living Artists (SALA) Festival. Our art teacher, Michelle Buick, had beautifully curated over 500 pieces of work, meaning every child was represented in a creative showcase of colour, vibrancy, and talent. Thank you to all parents and grandparents who were able to take the time to visit our gallery. Our children are very proud of their efforts and growing talent as budding artists. And we think they are pretty amazing too!

Nic Boys
Head of Junior School

Please take note of some special events at the Junior School during Weeks 6 and 7:

Monday 26 August
Robocup Junior Competition
Year 4 Blue Zoo Snooze

Tuesday 27 August
Year 4 Red Zoo Snooze

Wednesday 28 August
Year 4 Gold Zoo Snooze

Friday 30 August
Student Free Day

Monday 2 September
Father’s Day Morning

Thursday 5 September
Festival of Arts Rehearsal at Senior School campus

Our vegetable garden is bursting with fresh produce, so the Junior School hosted a garden market stall on Wednesday morning.

Our enthusiastic Environment Club students took charge of the stall, showcasing their passion for sustainable living.

Keep an eye out for more opportunities to support our green-thumbed students and enjoy fresh, school-grown produce.

On Thursday 15 August, the Year 4s held a Trash and Treasure Stall for the non-for-profit organisation See Differently.

The support and generosity of the Saint Ignatius community resulted in a record-breaking $1,203 raised. In addition to the positive difference this money will make, it was wonderful to see all the joy and excitement on the students' faces as someone else’s ‘trash’ became their new cherished ‘treasures’.

The Year 4 cohort look forward to presenting this money to the See Differently Community very soon. Thank you once again to all who donated items, money and their time to help make this initiative such as success.

With sincere thanks,
Year 4 Staff & Students

On Wednesday 14 August, our Year 3 students participated in a captivating Chinese dance incursion in the junior school auditorium. The event was led by a talented Chinese Folk dance group and a skilled Kung Fu master, who introduced our students to the beauty and energy of traditional Chinese arts.

The students were mesmerised by the elegant fan dance, the powerful Kung Fu dance, and the dynamic sword dance. Under the guidance of the Kung Fu master, they even had the opportunity to learn some basic Kung Fu moves, sparking excitement and enthusiasm.

This enriching experience deepened our students' understanding of the Chinese language and culture while fostering a greater appreciation for multiculturalism. It was a session filled with joy, learning, and a newfound passion for the diverse world around them.

Wenting Hao
Chinese Language Coordinator – Junior School