Barbreck News
Fundraising Event for Drought Relief, Friday 9 November
Dress (for the day): ‘In Farm Style’
Lunch: Farm theme
All funds raised will be sent to the Rural Aid in an effort to assist the plight of Australian farmers who are working so hard to help their properties remain viable and to keep their stock alive in the face of the severe drought being experienced.
For a number of days leading up to the event, Year 6 students will run several competitions through ‘guessing competitions’ and ‘name the animal’ fun. A fee of $2.00 per entry will be charged for each competition.
Prior to the day, orders can be pre-purchased for a special lunch to be enjoyed (order form and details sent home). The closing date for orders to be placed is Friday 2 November. Students who do not purchase the lunch may bring their own lunch on the day, but there will be no Flexi-School offerings for orders on this day.
We wish the Year 6 students a highly successful event, which commences with a ‘farm style’ dress parade from 8.45am-9.45am in the Auditorium. Parents are welcome to attend.
Year 6 Celebration
Date: Thursday 6 December
Time: 5.00pm-8.15pm
Venue: Mary Davis Centre
Preparations are well under way towards an opportunity to formally farewell the Year 6 students of 2018 as they prepare to move into the next chapter of their schooling and transition to the Senior School in 2019.
The Year 6 Celebration is always a very important date in the Barbreck calendar. It is an occasion which we look forward to enjoying with the girls and their parents.
From an organisational point of view, please note that the students will be inviting their parents and in the case of some, step-parents as well. Siblings and other family members do not attend this particular function.
Families are asked to note that the commencement time of the evening is 5.00pm sharp.
Refreshments and finger food are served for adults. The students will enjoy a celebratory meal in each other’s company. Students wear summer uniform on this evening.
Students remain at school to finalise preparations from 3.30pm. They may bring a clean uniform to wear for the evening if they wish.
Parents are asked to chat to your daughter about her plans for the special ‘collections’ each student will bring to showcase from 5.00pm.
More details to come as we proceed towards the date.
Year 3 Loved the Sunnystones Experience
Mirabelle Thomson and Nina Portnoy at Camp Sunnystones in Bacchus Marsh.
The Year 3 students returned to school after their overnight stay at Camp Sunnystones in Bacchus Marsh with tales of “adventure, challenge, fun and thorough enjoyment”.
The comments echoed those that have been expressed after each Year 3 camp in previous years. Those who experienced some tension and thoughts about homesickness prior to their departure for camp were some of the most emphatic voices endorsing thorough immersion in the experience.
“I just want to go again and again!”
Warm thanks to all involved and particularly to Ms Sue Cooke, Ms Emma Harty, Miss Annie Taylor and Mr Tom Crebbin. Outstanding care and attention to detail, as always, emphatically apparent.
Snippets of conversations listed below have been selected for readers to enjoy:
I had sooo much fun with all of my friends. We did archery and played the survival game and the funniest thing was me falling out of my bed! I loved the food, it was amazing. The beds were amazing and comfy. I loved the breakfast, lunch and dinner. I loved camp and I am looking forward to the next camp. – Sofia Marshall (Year 3H)
I had a fantastic time at camp. We did hut building, low-ropes, archery, dream weaving, rock-climbing, geocaching and the survival game. My favourite activity was archery. – Catelin Varasdi (Year 3H)
Amnah Aljneibi enjoying the archery activity.
Camp was amazing. I loved it so much. My favourite part was the survival game even though we were not the best team! We were called Herbivores. My second favourite thing was geocaching. It was also really fun. When we did hut building the teachers got to pour water on us and that was really funny. Also when we did the hut building we had damper for afternoon tea and some of the ingredients were flour, sultanas, cinnamon, sugar and water. It was really tasty. The most challenging part of all was probably the two hour walk into camp and leaving. I cannot wait to go on camp next year in Year 4! – Chloe Nash (Year 3H)
For me, the funniest part was when Fleur lost her lavender bag and I put my head out and said, “Check if it is down the side of your bed”, and I fell out of mine! My favourite activity was geocaching. It was exactly like a treasure hunt! – Olivia Grasso (Year 3H)
Camp is lots of fun
At the right time we arrived
Maps – looking at maps was so much fun
People everywhere.
Ideas of camp – so many
Songs to listen to at night.
Thrilled to have nice food
Happy friends.
Even kangaroos to watch.
Best friends to help you.
Every day was so much fun.
Settling down in bed with a book.
Testing things to keep us interested.
– Zhiyi (Eva) Mao (Year 3C)
I had a fantastic time. Thank you for letting me go to camp, packing my bag and buying me a hot chocolate before I left. In archery I hit the target one time on the very edge. All the rest were shot either in the hay or on the mountain. Now I know that if there is an apocalypse I will not be able to defend myself! In rope climbing I fell under the rope and hung there while my hair swept up all the tan bark. I got an award for the best camouflage on camp! In the survival game I ran around and literally only killed three people. (The game was about survival of herbivores, carnivores, humans and germs). – Polly Moir (Year 3C)
Dear Mum and Dad
Thank you so much for helping me pack and buy new clothes for camp. On the first day we did hut building. We had to find a branch that was on a lean and had a fork in it. Then we made a hut we could all fit in. After afternoon tea where we had damper, the teachers sprayed us when we were in the hut (to see if our hut was waterproof). The teachers also made their own hut, and I got chosen to throw water at them! I got Ms Harty. On the last day Ms Cooke and Ms Taylor took us out to see if we could see any kangaroos. We saw a mum with a pouch. – Clara Calvert (Year 3C)
Uniform Requirements in 2019 for Year 3 Students
Families are advised that all students entering Year 3 in 2019 require a school blazer. Prep to Year 2 students have blazers as an optional piece of uniform but Years 3 to 6 students must have one. As always, we urge parents to label all clothing and equipment with clear well placed labels which are permanent, easy to find and therefore much easier to return to the owner if misplaced.
Year 6 2019 Leadership Opportunities
Year 6 students, as role models for all younger students, traditionally fulfil a vital role in the Junior School and meet the challenges of leadership and responsibility with both confidence and competence.
In Term 4 particularly, discussions are held with Year 5 students about the Year 6 Code of Conduct and their own capacity to commit to the code and to be presented with a Year 6 leadership badge. The badge, significant in its award, symbolises the student’s acknowledgement, agreement and importantly, demonstration that she can be presented with one and wear it with dignity and pride. It is not presented lightly and is viewed as highly treasured.
Whilst these badges are sought with high appetite, parents are respectfully encouraged to ensure that their daughters appreciate the vital importance of understanding that wearing a ‘special’ badge does not bring with it, any special importance over someone else. Demonstration of initiative, responsibility, willingness to help at all times, respectful ways, generosity and personal skills, as well as evident effort in all school and extra curricular pursuits are productive and desirable characteristics for life. An aim to demonstrate them is for everyone, regardless of a badge or otherwise.
At all times, the above sentiments are emphasised repeatedly in various ways and by various staff. The Year 6 leadership badge is honoured entirely. The Code of Conduct must be the guide consistently. All Year 6 students are encouraged and given opportunities to lead.
To date, they have done it well. We look forward to a great year with the new role models in 2019.
Mrs Alana Moor, Head of ELC and Barbreck
Junior School State Chess Girls Final Results
Our Junior School Chess team participated in the State Chess Girls Final.
On Tuesday 16 October the Junior School Chess team participated in the State Chess Girls Final, coming in 8th place overall out of 37 participating schools. This was a wonderful result in our first year of having a regular and dedicated co-curricular Chess team, and only our third experience participating in a Chess competition. We are incredibly proud of the girls and their personal and team achievements.
Throughout the year all these girls have shown a commitment to the Chess team, turning up every Monday morning for tuition and game play, and for extra sessions where possible. It was so wonderful to see the growth in the girls’ skills and mindset during the finals. They reflected on each game, identifying what went well and finding opportunities for improvement so that they could learn from every opportunity, and apply it to the next game. They were humble in their wins and showed great integrity and resilience when the game did not go their way, congratulating their opponents with sincerity.
Congratulations to the following girls who participated in the State Chess Girls Finals:
- Maeli Davenport (Year 6)
- Audrey Doan (Year 5)
- Qing Chun (Joanna) Yang (Year 6)
- Xi (Sissi) Zheng (Year 6)
- Kaixuan (Isabelle) Cao (Year 4)
- Xinyue (Elena) Wei (Year 4)
- Xiang (Helen) Yu (Year 6)
- Natalie Wang (Year 5)
- Linda Wan (Year 5)
- Xiuqi (Anna) Wang (Year 5)
- Emma Peele (Year 4)
- Harper Roberts (Year 4)
- Rhea Werner (Year 6)
- Chelsea Harris (Year 6)
The St Catherine’s Junior School Chess team.
A special mention to Qing Chun (Joanna) Yang for scoring five points out of a possible seven points, and to Maeli Davenport, Rhea Werner, Audrey Doan and Xi (Sissi) Zheng who all scored four points.
I would also like to thank Ms Alyssa Flint who has worked closely with Ross, our Chess master, to encourage and develop the girls’ skills and engagement in Chess over the year.
