New Head of Junior School Visits Barbreck

Head of the Junior School from 2019, Ms Karen McArdle recently visited Barbreck students and staff.

Ms Karen McArdle, Head of Junior School from 2019, recently visited Barbreck. She was warmly welcomed into the Junior School student and staff community and has told us she thoroughly enjoyed her visit.

A tour of the new building and greeting students both in their playground and in classrooms, saw Ms McArdle smiling widely and expressing the words “I cannot wait to visit again!”.

Several opportunities for Karen to do so have already been arranged. Her desire to learn as much as possible about St Catherine’s School is strong. We look forward indeed to her next visit.

Year 6 Celebration

Date: Thursday 6 December
Time: 5.00pm to 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.

Commencing at 5.00pm is an opportunity to join the students and staff in front of Sherren House. Students will showcase their special collections and explain the significance to all in attendance.

We will then move into the Mary Davis Centre to enjoy food and beverages together. At the conclusion of this time, we will move to the Barbreck Auditorium where we will introduce and celebrate each Year 6 student of 2018.

Drought Relief Fundraising Event

Today saw an amazing whole of school fundraising effort to raise money to assist the savagely affected, drought stricken rural properties in so many areas of Australia.

With more drought conditions recently predicted across the country, the efforts in earnest, appreciated the dire need for assistance.

The fundraising efforts were all very different in the approach, but the sentiment was deep seated and meaningful. Students were well aware of the purpose.

Thank you to all Barbreck families for generously supporting the ‘farm style’ dress for the day, the guessing and colouring competitions held in the preceding days, and the ‘farm style’ lunch.

The Year 6 students were emphatically supportive of the event and did all they could in so many ways.

Guessing competitions and the colouring competition winners will be announced once all results are tallied. The amount raised in Barbreck will be notified when all money is in and the final tally arranged.

In such an event, there is much learning for the Year 6 students about the necessity of organisation and for all students to be made well aware of the cause for which the funds will be raised. Life’s lessons well embraced.

The spirit and generosity of St Catherine’s School families and the desire for young people to learn about and respect the needs of others, less fortunate, is always palpable. Thank you!

Request for Old Mobile Phones

Many of us have mobile phones at home which are no longer in use.

We can help a very worthy cause by collecting and donating them, and the Barbreck Environment Committee have found just the place!

The Environment Committee are leading a campaign of collecting unwanted mobile phones to be sent to the Roots and Shoots campaign. Dr Sarah Triolo (Charlotte, Year 1), a veterinarian, is helping the campaign and recently outlined the needs to a lunchtime Committee meeting.

Saving chimpanzees is a critical issue and one major threat to their existence is the mining of the mineral, coltan. Mobile phones in construction require the mineral coltan. Unfortunately, the major source of coltan is found in areas which are the natural habitat of chimpanzees. The habitat is destroyed when trees are destroyed which results in the chimpanzees becoming totally displaced. Any reduction of the necessity to mine as widely and frequently will assist to save the habitat and maintain chimpanzees.

Unused mobile phones and chargers can be brought to school and placed in the special collection box in the Barbreck foyer area. Please assist us to fight against extinction of another animal.

As the Environment Committee constantly inform us, “Green is not just a colour”.

Class Placements 2019

Currently, staff are commencing discussions regarding placement of students into 2019 classes. Families are asked to refrain from requesting special consideration through classroom teachers.

Class placements is a complex task and every endeavour is made to secure the best setting for each student. Final decisions involve numerous factors and all must be well considered.

Parents are warmly encouraged to appreciate that the teachers must make the decisions.

Academic balance, interests, talents, work approaches, self-management skills and comfort with at least one other in the class are some of the important considerations.

Please support a smooth, happy transition to the 2019 class by surrounding children only with positive discussions if any, about next year. Conversations between adults are often overheard by children and are repeated at school. This can cause burden and worry for children who must be afforded the best chance possible to anticipate 2019 with excitement.

Staff year level allocations are yet to be finalised but several changes will occur in 2019. It is important professionally that teachers have opportunities to change year levels as regularly as possible. This will be finalised later in November and parents and students will be advised of 2019 class placements before the student transition session on 7 December.