From the Head of Junior School

Situated on the main oval of our beautiful Athelstone campus, we were gifted with incredible weather on a day filled with the promise of much joy, competition, and the spirit of engagement for our annual Year 3-12 Athletics Day.

All the children were as engaged as ever, sporting their House colours and accessorised zinc, hats, and tutus as they took part in all their track and field events. It was wonderful having so many of our extended parent community join us in great company; they enjoyed checking in between children at the Junior and Senior School carnivals alike. Thank you to all the Parents & Friends who generously provided delicious cakes and treats for sale, which went down well with children and adults alike. Well done to all the children who competed with great spirit of collaboration and competition, cheering all participants coming over the line regardless of House and placement. As ever, the high-octane cross-campus inter-House relay from Years 3-12 proved to light up the oval with such great energy. Final congratulations must go to Xavier House, who won the Junior School Sports Day!

We look forward to seeing the Junior Primary Sports Day event held next Thursday where we hope to welcome as many parents and special friends as possible. Some of our children enjoyed rubbing shoulders with stardom this week as they played with Brisbane Lions AFL premier league players over lunchtime as the warm-up event before the Gather Round.

We wish everyone a safe and enjoyable holiday after what has been a term full of rich learning opportunities for all. As the Easter season continues for another 50 days, I hope this time allows you to drink deeply from the springs of grace and renewal as we are reminded of the Easter message that ‘all things are made new’.

Nic Boys
Head of Junior School

Please take note of some special events at the Junior School during Week 11 and the holiday break:

Tuesday 9 April
Year 5 Excursion to Victor Harbor and Goolwa Barrages
SAPSASA Swim State Carnival

Thursday 11 April
Junior Primary (Rec – Yr 2) Sports Day

Friday 12 April
Last day of Term 1

Tuesday 30 April
Commencement of Term 2

Please note the Junior School Front Office will be closed from Monday 15 April and reopens Monday 22 April.

During Weeks 9 and 10 our 6 Red students took on a pivotal role in guiding the Junior School Community through a series of Holy Week communal prayers. With reverence and reflection, these young leaders led the community on a journey, tracing the steps of Jesus Christ to the cross.

Each prayer session served as a reminder of the profound significance of Easter, inviting all to contemplate the depth of Christ's love and the ultimate sacrifice he made for humanity.

And as we end this glorious Easter season, I leave you with this reflection…

During Week Eight of this term our Year 6 cohort visited Canberra to experience a deeper understanding of our Australian Government system and Science curriculum. Whilst it was an early departure Tuesday morning the day was filled with some memorable experiences. Our first experience was visiting the Australian War Memorial, where the students were given an insight into many individual stories from World War I and II. The sacrifice made by these individuals was extraordinary and the students were deeply moved.

We then visited the Geo Science Exploration Centre, where students discovered rocks, minerals and even felt a piece of the moon. It was interesting to learn about seismographs and how earthquakes are recorded. Students were fascinated by the real-life data that was presented and the opportunity to explore, experience and test their knowledge.

Next on our busy agenda was the National Portrait Gallery, which involved exploring and analysing some beautiful pieces by Ralph Heimans with an opportunity for students to show their creative side. Certainly, some budding artists amongst the cohort!

The following days explorations started with a visit to the Royal Mint where students were fascinated by how coins are manufactured and designed. They discussed the elements of using currency and shared thoughts about our currency for the future.

Part of the day included a visit to The National Arboretum where students explored the stunning grounds through an orienteering course which comprised of native plants, green landscapes, and manicured gardens.

Following this, we arrived at Parliament House and had the pleasure of being greeted by Senator Marielle Smith who shared with us elements of her day, as well as her responsibilities representing South Australia. We were also lucky enough to sit in on a debate in the House of Representatives where students were able to see what it is like when decisions need to be made. Students participated in a mock senate with a Parliament Education Officer and concluded with a tour of Parliament House and final words from Mr James Stevens MP Federal Member for Sturt. There were some awesome questions asked, including how many lego pieces were used to complete the model Mr Stevens was standing in front of when addressing the cohort!

To finish the day, we travelled to the Australian Institute of Sport where we were greeted by two athletes who took us on a tour of the facilities. We had the opportunity to see the AIS Aquatic centre where students learnt about the training regimes of famous athletes such as Ian Thorpe and Petria Thomas.

The next day, we started with a visit to the National Electoral Education Centre. Students learnt about the election process through an engaging presentation and then participated in a preferential voting process in the House of Representatives where our candidates were Peach, Apple, Orange and Banana.

Afterwards we visited the Museum of Australian Democracy. We sat in the old House of Representatives which was first opened in 1927. We learnt that Joan Child became the first female speaker in the House of Representatives in 1988. The day finished with an amazing experience at Questacon enjoying hands on science experiences followed by our Atomic dinner, which was enjoyed by all.

Our final day involved a tour of the High Court where students engaged in watching a detailed video about the Constitution and they were able to answer some quite challenging questions based on all their research before camp and the experiences over the past few days. The tour guide was really impressed with our students input and engagement. Overall, a very successful camp providing a range of memorable experiences for all of which would have been hard to achieve without the Australian Government PACER rebate of $90 per student.

Year 6 Canberra Team

Sustainability addresses the ongoing capacity of Earth to maintain all life. Over the last few weeks in Junior School Science lessons, some students have explored how they can care for our common home, taking action to look after the environment by reducing waste. Year 3 students designed their own beeswax wraps and Year 2 students created recycled paper. We will continue to investigate the responsible use of resources that meet our needs today without compromising the needs of future generations.

Caroline O'Halloran
Sustainability Coordinator - Junior School

The Junior School Sports Day was held Wednesday 27^th March after the original day earlier in the Term were cancelled due to extreme weather conditions. Students were met with perfect conditions at the Senior School Campus. There was a real carnival atmosphere as students descended on Bourke Oval, you could feel the excitement build on what is a very thrilling day. It was great to see the house spirit on display with students taking the time to decorate themselves and their House Tents in their House colours. As with previous years, the Senior School held their athletics carnival simultaneously, allowing for cross campus integration and even larger House support. This proved to be a great formula, allowing family and friends the opportunity to drift between the two events. It was evident that all students showed great competitiveness and put in a huge effort, whilst still displaying sportsmanship and the Ignatian Spirit.

The final two events for the Junior School was the Year 3-6 House Relays and the combined relay with the Senior School. These events really emphasized the spirit of the day, showcasing both sportsmanship and house spirit. With the Senior School students making their way down to line the track the Junior School students loved the added atmosphere it created. Each House selected a boy and girl from Year 3 right through to Year 12 for the combined College Relay. With all Junior and Senior School students keenly observing the race the atmosphere was electrifying due to the deafening cheering.

Xavier entered the day as the leader by a handful of points thanks to the fact that long jump was held prior to the day. Over the course of the day Xavier held on to the lead to claim their first victory since 2014. A huge amount of work goes into the planning and running of these events and I would like to thank not only the Junior School staff but also the Senior School staff for their efforts on the day and in the lead up. The parents and friends committee also did a fantastic job with the cake stall.

Final Results:
Xavier – 816
Campion – 667
Regis – 635
Kostka – 604

Lachlan Bartlett
Junior School Sport Coordinator