Junior School Mathematics

Congratulations to the following students who participated in a variety of Mathematics Competitions in 2016. All the competitions entered required a high level of Mathematics understanding and a mature grasp of problem solving skills and strategies.

The students below received certificates for the Mathematics Olympiad:

Top 10%

Beibei Zhang
Angela Yu

Top 20%

Madeleine Farrer

Top 25%

Sacha Hanegbi
Lilli Holmes
Daisy Turnbull

Top 30%

Paula Chen
Livia Gowrie
Emma Gregory
Eloise Rudge
Mannuo (Maggie) Zhu

Top 40%

Madeline Powell
Lan-Tian Yen-West
Lara Thorn

Top 50%

Lucy Bainbridge
Clarence Houle-O’Connor
Ella Jakobovits

Participants

Anise Imam
Jariyan Patel
Georgia Stoupas
Madeleine Hooker
Freya Cantwell
Julia Kent
Zhi Qing (Emma) Yang
Catherine Chen

French

As part of the Barbreck French extension program in 2016, seven students prepared for, and participated in, the Australian Language Competency (ALC) test organised by respected educational research organisation, ACER. This test is completed via a supervised online module and challenges the participant in both reading and listening in the target language.

Congratulations to our ALC French Language participants

The seven students, Angela Yu, Eloise Rudge, Lan-Tian Yen-West, Sacha Hanegbi, Beibei Zhang, Rosie Oxley and Caroline Marcel, are also members of St Catherine’s French language group Club Français de Barbreck and made the commitment to attend weekly practice sessions throughout August, in order to prepare for the test by reading French comprehension questions, listening to recordings and testing their general knowledge of vocabulary and concepts.

On 31 August, these seven students became the first Barbreck students to sit the ALC test. After an anxious six week wait for the results to arrive, each student was thrilled to discover that they had received a Distinction average!

I heartily congratulate each of our seven 2016 participants on their hard work and motivation towards their French learning. I wish them all the best for their future French learning!

Mr Andrew Gold
Junior School French Teacher

Shopping in the Prep classroom

This Term, Prep students have been learning about money. This has been an exciting and relevant topic as Barbreck students have enjoyed many opportunities to bring money to School throughout the year to purchase items at either the Mother’s Day or Father’s Day Stalls, or recently for the Dogtober fundraising day. We have learnt to recognise, describe and order Australian coins according to their value as well as count and represent money values in multiple ways.

Last week, the Prep classroom became a marketplace with shops created by Prep students. In pairs, students worked together to create a shop sign and draw items to be sold in their shop. Students then gave each item a price tag and organised their shop to attract buyers.

Having learnt about time a few weeks ago, Prep girls then worked on creating an opening hour’s sign outlining their days of trade and the opening and closing times. This is an example of how easily multiple concepts can be integrated in fun and engaging activities for our students.

Some shops included jewellery, clothing, ice cream, bakery and a newsagents. Students then took turns of being a shopkeeper and a buyer. We discussed and role played familiar language exchanged during a transaction and encouraged students to feel confident practising this skill with each other.

Prep students have been encouraged to extend their real life mathematical experiences by becoming involved in simple shopping transactions with assistance and guidance from parents. Students have demonstrated a keen interest and enthusiasm in this topic and have reported an increased involvement when at the shops with mum and dad.

Learning opportunities occur all around us, even in the simplest everyday tasks, and it is so important to take the time to involve children in everyday learning which is so relevant and valuable.

Mrs Jessica Easton
Prep Teacher

Christmas Service

The Junior School Carol Service will be held on Tuesday 6 December at Toorak Uniting Church, Toorak Road at 2.00pm.

Parents and friends are most welcome.

Mrs Melissa Dods
Junior School Music Coordinator

Stonnington Christmas Card Competition

Kaia Belan (Year 2) and Portia Gowrie (Year 3), were selected as finalists in a Christmas card competition for 2016.

The Honourable Kelly O’Dwyer MP, Federal Member for Higgins offered the competition to schools throughout Stonnington.

Each school participated with numerous entries. We are delighted with the places achieved by Kaia and Portia this year. Junior School Art teacher, Mrs Virginia Guest, the girls, and their parents attended a special morning tea presentation at Metro Gallery, High Street Armadale.

After School Care – Final Day

Please note After School Care will be provided from 12.00pm (ELC) and 1.00pm (Junior School) on the final day of School, Wednesday 7 December.

Staffing 2017 in Barbreck

Staffing in Barbreck at this stage of 2016, for 2017, is set as follows:

Barbreck Staff 2017 – Term 1

Head of ELC and Barbreck
Mrs Alana Moor  

Deputy Head of Barbreck
Ms Catherine Samuel   

Personal Assistant to Head of ELC and Barbreck
Mrs Mary Poulos  

Receptionist/Admin Assistant
Mrs Sharon Brinkworth (9.00am-2.30pm)

Prep E
Mrs Jessica Easton
Mrs Kate Bourke (part time assistant) 

1B
Mrs Lola Ballis
Mrs Kate Bourke (part time assistant)        

2I
Mrs Loretta Iacuone 

Please note: Year 2 staffing is still being well considered. Year 2 parents will be advised when it is secured, but Ms Iacuone will be a member of the staff allocated to Year 2 in 2017.

3W
Miss Kirrilly Wootton

3T
Mr Tim Tainsh                                                                     

4SB
Ms Lisa Barker and Ms Simone Schilte (class share)

4S
Ms Georgina Stride                        

5F
Miss Alyssa Flint and Mrs Jenny De Nardis (1 day per week)    

5W
Miss Fiona Wardlaw                                              

6C
Ms Sandra Ching      

6K
Mrs Mary Karvounaris

6A
Mrs Sandra Allen

Barbreck Coordinator of Sport
Mr Tom Crebbin     

Barbreck PE Teacher
Mrs Jenny De Nardis       

Barbreck Teacher/Librarian
Mrs Victoria Baldacchino

Library Technician
Mrs Judy Hoole             

Music Teacher
Mrs Melissa Dods    

Head of Strings
Mrs Lisa Cook

Barbreck French Teacher
Mr Andrew Gold   

Barbreck Art Teacher
Mrs Virginia Guest

Head of Barbreck Learning Plus Department
Mrs Glenda Lingard 

Barbreck Learning Plus Teacher
Mrs Chris Hogan   

Barbreck Learning Plus Teacher
Ms Jo Lynden-Bell (EAL Part time)

Ms Catherine Samuel will also have some specific duties in these areas of learning.

Other staffing information:

Ms Sue Cooke will be on a very well deserved Long Service Leave break during 2017. After what has amounted now to 35 years service as a classroom teacher and keen contributor to St Catherine’s School, Ms Cooke will enjoy an opportunity in 2017 to take leave to explore her many interests and hobbies. She is well thanked for her contributions and we wish her a most productive and happy break.

Ms Catherine Samuel, as already advised, will commence in the role of Deputy Head of Junior School in 2017. We look forward to her joining and eagerly look forward to the sharing of her expertise in curriculum areas.

Miss Alyssa Flint will join us in 2017 in the appointed position of STEM/classroom teacher. Miss Flint will specifically be teaching Year 5, four days per week and Mrs Jenny De Nardis will continue in her current role of one day teaching Year 5.

On this day, Miss Flint will be teaching STEM, in particular in the Years 3 and 4 classes. Miss Flint comes to us with experience and enthusiasm for both STEM and classroom teaching.