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Junior School Tidings

I wish to extend a huge welcome to new and returning families. We begin 2023 after a substantial holiday break, refreshed and ready to launch into the new school year. On Monday this week we had the pleasure of meeting our newest Eddies boys and their families. New students spent some time with their teachers and parents and carers were able to hear from key staff members. I would like to take this opportunity to outline some changes to staffing that occurred late last year. Whilst the majority of staffing has stayed the same there have been some changes/additions. We welcome back Mrs Holly Ellem. Mrs Ellem will be 5 Gold’s teacher this year. Mrs Ellem is a very experienced teacher who has been a regular face in the Junior School over the last decade. This year Ms Bridget Cusack’s role has a new title: Junior School Coordinator. This title is more reflective of the comprehensive leadership Ms Cusack provides in the Junior School. Ms Natalie Janes will be teaching across three classes in the Junior School: 4 Blue (Mon/Tues), 4 White (Wed) and 5 Blue (Thurs).

Term 1 is always full of College events and generally moves very quickly. I have included below some important events that will impact on Junior School students or their families over the next few weeks.

Friday 3 February – Student Photo Day. The company will give the students a pack and parents/carers order online.

Monday 6 February – Junior School Parent/Teacher Meetings. All Junior School parents/carers would have received an email regarding this opportunity to meet your son’s teacher/s for 2023. Year 5/6 sessions will be run as individual interviews in classrooms (7 minutes) from 3.40pm – 6.00pm. Year 4 will be run as an information session from 5.00pm -5.45pm in the Junior School Library.

Thursday 9 February – 5.30pm-7.00pm – New Families Welcome Function (RJ Wallace Hall).

Monday 20 February – Wednesday 22 February – Year 6 Camp. Parents/carers will receive detailed information regarding this excursion.

Tuesday 28 February – Moderation Day (Pupil Free Day)

Friday 10 March – Junior School Swimming Carnival at Queanbeyan Pool. Information and permission notes will be available over the next couple of weeks. Please me mindful this is a swimming carnival so accurate indications of swimming ability are vital.

Hair Policy – Thank you to all parents/carers for keeping your son/s haircuts in line with the school’s uniform and hair policy. At times barbers may make mistakes. If they are informed of their mistake, many will fix the haircut (in line with our policy) at no extra charge. Could I please ask that all parents/carers familiarise themselves with the hair policy so that students can get about their daily work without teacher’s asking them about their haircuts. Thank you for your assistance with this.

Hair should be kept neat, tidy and clean at all times and not grown or styled into an extreme or exaggerated fashion.

Hair should be above the shoulder in length (above the bottom of the school shirt collar) and no shorter than a number ‘two’.

Students are not allowed to have lines or designs shaved into their hair nor grow long sections of hair that can be fashioned into ‘top buns’, plaits, undercuts, braids, ‘rats tails’, ‘mohawks’ or ‘mullets’ etc.

Co-Curricular Activities – please note Junior School students will be given some information and a form to bring home and complete to register their interest for co-curricular activities. This data is collected so coordinators know which parents/carers to target with information. However, please be aware that some activities, such as sports, require official registration (usually via an online platform) in order to be accepted into that activity. Most co-curricular activities will not begin until Week 5 (with Winter sports a bit later). Homework club will commence from Week 3 (Tuesdays and Wednesdays 3.30pm – 4.30pm in the Junior Library).

David Kelly
Head of Junior School