Dear Parents

The year has started very smoothly and, as according to the Year of the Ox, we are already experiencing a very productive school year.  It is forecast that this year is will be a time of stability, with promise of steady expansion.  Matters proceed happiest along established lines and there may be little by way of innovation.  However knowing the creative talents of our teachers and students, I question that prediction!

The year will be fruitful and there are rich benefits to be harvested from the previous year’s sowing.  This is literally as well as metaphorically, since the Ox is associated with earth, agriculture, tilling and ploughing. However, projects conceived during the Ox year need some urgency.  For example, in business matters, it is important to get the signature on the contract, whether yours or others, without delay.

So with the many plans last year, we are well placed to develop the historical, cultural and environmental projects in relation to our local community.  Our local area is such a rich resource which allows our students to apply their knowledge and skills in a real context.  For example, very close by is the place of the first meeting of explorers and aboriginal people, there are the tunnels used during the war, and caves that were used by people during hard times.  There is evidence of ways in which the aboriginal people lived off the land in an integrated and harmonious manner to maintain and conserve its longevity, and examples of the native flora that supported their diet.

There are also places that have been cleared for industry, and native bushland that is in need of renewing.  The river provides a great resource for students to study its changing direction, its use as a water way and the quality and composition of its water then and now.

As the focus for our Sustainability of Culture, Economic and Environment activities, the local area provides places for the action that empowers students to make a difference.  They will then learn how to translate their knowledge and skills to the wider community and eventually at a global level.

The students will keep you informed about their work on various sustainability projects such as measuring water quality, identifying invertebrates, renewing the indigenous flora, learning about the local animals, re-enacting cultural events, and comparing the carbon footprint and handprint of the past and present.  The Sustainability Ambassadors will communicate the School’s endeavours at various assemblies and in electronic newsletters.

We all look forward to working together to reduce our carbon footprint and handprint both at school and at home and I wish you a productive and rewarding year.  I look forward to our ongoing work as a connected carbon-neutral community.

Best wishes
Julie QuanSing-Rowlands

It was good to meet a number of parents at the events surrounding the start of the School Year.  I look forward to hearing from you regarding any questions you may have concerning the spiritual life or Anglican ethos of the School.  Please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of assistance.

In the Whole School Newsletter I have written some reflections on the Victorian Bushfires to which so many of you have responded with financial and practical donations.  It is a sign that we are a community of compassion, empathy and generosity, founded upon those same qualities found in Jesus Christ.  In the article I have included a prayer which you may find helpful as you reflect on the tragedy.

Junior School services are joyful occasions to which all parents, friends and families are welcome.  You are invited to receive Holy Communion or a blessing according to your belief and custom.  To set up and organise the Cortile as a worship space is a challenging task in which I am ably assisted by Mrs Satchwell and the Maintenance team, to whom I offer thanks for their support and hard work on our behalf. 

I am pleased to announce and welcome seven new Sacristans who assist me in the running of services. Their tasks demand great commitment and a high level of skill and initiative, and I look forward to working with them through the year. Congratulations to:

Julia Baddock, Emma Bond, Brittany Crawford, Lara Edmands, Emma Foreman,
Emily Lockett,Tara Sweetman

We are now in the season of Lent, which enables us to focus more on spiritual rather than material values in preparation for the celebration of Easter.  I encourage you to spend some time thinking about the Cross of Christ and the sacrifice He made once for all, in order that we might lose all fear of death and look forward to a joyful resurrection.  In Lent we are expected to take up our cross, whatever it might be, and follow in His footsteps, that we may also triumph over the evils that tempt us to stray from the way of salvation.

Should you wish to use the Sacrament of Reconciliation (Confession) as part of your Lenten discipline, please make an appointment with me.

Father Toby - School Chaplain

Staff
The St Hilda’s Community warmly and belatedly welcomes all staff back for 2009 and especially welcomes new staff.  Please find below the list of all staff for 2009:

Sustainability Snippets
Ms Soroko and Mrs Ranford, together with Mrs Catrina Aniere from Millennium Kids, will oversee the 2009 Sustainability Ambassadors. These ambassadors from Years 5 and 6 are the students who attended the Youth Sustainability Conference in 2008.  They will meet once a month to plan student activities both in the School and at home.

Why the urgency for walking and cycling to school? You may very well ask why we are trying to encourage people out of the habit of driving. If you refer to the Australian Conservation Foundation website http://www.acfonline.org.au/consumptionatlas/, you will note that the Western Suburbs are the greatest polluters, biggest water users and have the largest eco footprint - the latter meaning the amount of land required to provide day to day resources. So, leave the car in the garage and let’s get physical!

If you are looking to enrich your garden, buy some wonderful Worm Tea from the Year 1 classes.

Junior School Friday Flyer and newsletters are available in electronic form. To conserve paper and minimise waste please do not print unless absolutely essential. Learning how to read on-line and store information electronically is always a challenge but we can do it!

Holiday Program
St Hilda's is once again offering the holiday programme for children between 3 to 8 years of age.  This will be held during the first week of the holidays from the 14 – 17 April.

Year 6, Junior School Officials 2009
It is with pleasure that we announce the 2009 Junior School Officials who will be responsible for a number of roles and duties. As always, there are many very able students who could take up these positions and the choice is always difficult. We congratulate those who have been chosen and wish them well as they carry out their duties with responsibility, warmth and care.

In addition to the official positions, all Year 6 students have leadership roles in various capacities. Committees of girls help out with computers and IT, tree planting, music rehearsals and concerts, art club preparations, sustainable practices, and physical education activities before and after school. These are some of the ways in which students can offer their services and develop their leadership abilities.

Junior School Officials and Sacristans 2009
Head Girl - Katherine Roche
Arts Captains - Lillian Buchholz, Nataya Mills
Sports Captains - Emily Benson, Emma Wittenoom
Community Service Captains - Alexandra Claxton, Marcella Kandiah

House Officials
Blackwood - Emma Colwell, Isabella Watkins
De Grey - Alexandra Finlay-Jones, Maggie MacEvilly
Fitzroy - Susannah Buss, Sarah Moody
Gascoyne - Eleni Tsaknis, Jaime Slabbert

Sacristans: - Julia Baddock, Emma Bond, Brittany Crawford, Lara Edmands, Emma Foreman, Emily Lockett, Tara Sweetman
                                                       
WA Pelican State Championships
We congratulate Zoe Thomson (6PO) who was awarded ‘Best Crew’ at the WA Pelican State Championships held over eight days of sailing at Busselton, during the first week of January.  30 boats participated and eight races in all were sailed.  Well done Zoe!

Music
The various cocurricular ensembles are well under way with rehearsals.  Please note the following groups and rehearsal times.

Coro Angelico:  An auditioned Choir for Years 4-6 Mondays 7.25am in the Junior School Music Room as well as every Chapel service morning at 8.05am in the Cortile.  Directed by Tess Tsokos.

Concert Band:  For all students learning a band instrument, generally after one year of lessons and/or at the discretion of their instrumental teacher.  Held on Tuesdays at 7.20am, in the Junior School Music Room.  Directed by Matthew Kidd and assisted by Louise Bladen.

String Orchestra:  For students in Years 3-6 learning a stringed instrument and/or at the discretion of their instrumental teacher.  Wednesdays 7.15am Junior School Music Room.  Directed by Adrian Wayte and assisted by Amber Day.

The best method of communicating with the music staff is by email.
louise.bladen@sthildas.wa.edu.au
adrian.wayte@sthildas.wa.edu.au
matt.kidd@sthildas.wa.edu.au
tess.tsokos@sthildas.wa.edu.au

Congratulations to the following students who have passed various external music examinations:

Lucy Goodrick passed with Distinction in the Grade 1 Singing exam of the Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music.
Emily Parkinson passed with Honours in the Preliminary Violin exam of the Australian Music Examinations Board.
Holly Varney passed with credit in the Preliminary Violin exam of the Australian Music Examinations Board.
Vania Carolina passed the Second Grade Violin exam of the Australian Music Examinations Board.
Year 5 Participation in IPSHA
Year 5 students are very excited, as they are the lucky ones performing at the IPSHA Festival of Performing Arts which will be held in Week 7 of Term 2.  The date of the matinee and evening performance is yet to be announced, but we will inform you of the date as soon as it is announced.  If there are any parents who are able to assist with the making of some simple props, could they please contact Mrs Briony Lee, mother of Jessica (5R).

Year 6 Production
Preparation for The Storybiz is well underway with auditioning and casting almost completed.  The costume design is also well in hand and costume meetings will be held on the following dates:

6M         Tuesday 17 March 8.00am Junior School Music Office
6PE       Wednesday 18 March 8.00am Junior School Office
6PO       Tuesday 24 March 8.00am Junior School Office

Prop making will be done towards the end of the term the date is to be advised. Any parents who would like to assist in any way are most welcome to come along.  Our wonderful choreographer, Janie Golovoda has designed the costumes and will have the fabrics and patterns all ready to be cut and sewn.  Please note that you don’t need to be able to sew to be a helper, as assistance is also required for organising, labelling, and sometimes sourcing items such as hats and ribbons.

Ms Louise Bladen - Junior School Music Department

Physical Education
Welcome back to what will be an energetic and fun-filled 2009.  We hope you have all had an enjoyable break, relaxing and keeping fit.  Staff in the Physical Education Department are looking forward to a fulfilling year supporting your child in an exciting developmental program of skills and fitness.  Each term students will participate in fundamental movement skills and a variety of sports.

We have a full calendar this year so please read the Friday Flyer and School Newsletter for up-to-date information.

Procedure for After-School Activities
Please be reminded, parents whose children attend activities after dismissal from school, should collect them from the activity venue.  Students are not permitted to wait unaccompanied for parents outside either the Senior or Junior Schools.  Written permission must accompany any change to pick-up arrangements.  Students not collected by parents from the venue will be taken to Extend-ED by the physical education staff or to the Library if we are at the Bay View Campus.

Please be vigilant in this area as student safety is of utmost importance.

Thrilling Thursdays
At the Junior School, Pre-Primary to Year 2 students are invited to Thrilling Thursday sessions with Mrs Nicholls from the physical education department.  Sessions run from 3.15-4.00pm with students meeting Mrs Nicholls outside the Chidley Gym.  Each session focuses on fundamental movement skills and cooperative games which may be taken on the oval or in the gym.  Students are encouraged to wear their sports uniform and bring a drink bottle.  Parents are most welcome to come along and join.  If you require further information, contact Paula Nicholls on 9285 4500.

Swimming
What a busy couple of weeks we have had.  Term 1 is always an exciting time with swimming lessons and our swimming carnivals.  In-term swimming has now finished and it was amazing to see the improvement in our students over the two weeks.

After-school Swimming
Congratulations to all the students who have been attending swimming training over the term.  We have had a super turn-out and the students have benefited from the extra sessions, learning new skills for some, and fine tuning skills for others.  Thank you to our wonderful swimming coaches Helen Minchin and Keelee Scarff.  Swimming training continues until Week 7 with Thursday 19 March being our final session for the term.

2009 School and College Relays
On Sunday 22 February, the students from Years 4, 5 and 6 participated in the 2009 School and Colleges Relay Meet.  All students participated in relay teams for freestyle and medley events and were mixed in year groups.  They did extremely well representing St Hilda’s, finishing an outstanding third overall for the competition.  Congratulations to them all for their fantastic effort. 

Particular congratulations go to the Years 4/5 A Freestyle team and the Years 4/5 A Medley team who won these competitions.  Those team members were Matilda Birchall, Andrea Ho, Kate Swallow, Anna Fischer and Isabelle Honey.

Pre Primary – Year 2 Swimming Carnival
The Pre-Primary to Year 2 Swimming Carnival was held on Tuesday 3 March at the
St Hilda’s pool with all students participating.  It was a fantastic morning with all students getting in and having a go.  Students were involved in novelty events and races.  A lot of fun was had by all, especially in Horse Warrior and Grab It.  Thank you to the Year 6 House and Sports Officials and Head Girl who did a wonderful job marshalling and encouraging the girls and boys to cheer loudly for their friends.  Thank you to theYear 10 Physical Education Studies class which assisted our students in the water despite the freezing temperatures.  Congratulations to all of the girls and boys for a very successful and enjoyable carnival.

Years 3 – 6 Swimming Carnival
On Friday 6 March the Years 3 to Year 6 Swimming Carnival was held at Challenge Stadium.  It was fantastic to see all the girls getting in the pool and trying their best for their House.  Thank you to all parents who assisted with time keeping on the day.  We appreciated your support and assistance and look forward to seeing some interesting photos from the day. 

Congratulations to the following girls on their fantastic swimming achievements:

The results of the Interhouse trophy are as follows:
4th Blackwood
3rd Gascoyne
2nd De Grey
1st Fitzroy
 
Up Coming Events
Years 4 -6 IPSHA Interschool Swimming Carnivals will be held on Friday 20 March.  This is a very social day with the main objective being all about participation.  All students are involved in races and novelty events.  Good luck to all students and please read your letters carefully so we can make sure everyone is dressed appropriately and knows where they need to go.

Year 4 – Methodist Ladies’ College 9.30am – 1.30pm
Year 5 – St Mary’s Anglican Girls School 9.30am – 1.30pm
Year 6 – Challenge Stadium 9.30am – 1.30pm

Minkey
Minkey will be held for students in Years 1, 2, 3 and 4.  Training will be on Friday mornings for Years 1 and 2 and Thursday mornings for Years 3 and 4, from 7.15am – 8.10am, with games held at College Park on Saturday mornings.  Information and registration will be posted out.  The training session dates for Term 1 are on Thursday 26 March, Friday 27 March, Thursday 2 April and Friday 3 April. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Miss Wood.

Netball
Netball will be offered again for students in Years 4, 5 and 6.  Training will be on Friday mornings.  There are two training sessions this term on Friday 27 March and 3 April.  These sessions will include trials so it is important for the students to attend as many as they can.  Information and registration have been posted out.  If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Miss Wood or Mrs Nicholls. 

If you are interested in assisting with coaching either Minkey or Netball please contact Miss Wood as your assistance is always appreciated.

It gives me great pleasure to introduce the Junior School Physical Education Staff for 2009:
Miss Sharon Williams                      Head of Curriculum
Miss Emma Wood                           Junior School Coordinator
Mrs Paula Nicholls                           Physical Education Teacher

Please do not hesitate to contact the Physical Education Department on 9285 4500 or email emma.wood@sthildas.wa.edu.au if you have any questions. 

We look forward to an enjoyable year.

Miss Emma Wood
Junior School Physical Education Coordinator

Parents’ and Friends’ Association
The Art Fair correspondence should have already reached you. This is a wonderful school event which is very well attended. The proceeds from the Cocktail Party, the refreshments sold over the weekend and the Raffle go directly to the P&F, so please support this event as it is our only fundraiser this term.

Our next meeting of the P&F is the Annual General meeting which takes place on 31 March at 7.30pm. I hope to see you there.

Tony Connolly - P & F President

St Hilda’s Auxiliary
The new Class Parents are gradually taking over for 2009 and our sincere thanks go to those Class Parents who have done such a wonderful job over the past year. Your hard work and tireless efforts to keep your Year group connected is greatly appreciated. Good luck to all the new Class Parents and we look forward to seeing you at the next Auxiliary meeting on 19 March at 9.00am at Chidley where we will specifically be discussing the role of Class Parents.

Please remember to volunteer for the Mezze this term. Our rosters are filling up but our aim is to have a completely full roster each term. Thanks again to those mums and dads who perform this very important service!
                    
Shereen Rindel - Auxiliary President

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