Annesley News, Issue 159

Friday 4 November 2020

Principal's News

I Love Our Vibrant Community

There is so much to celebrate and be grateful for at Annesley! One of the things I love most about Annesley is the rich and connected community. Being Principal is a diverse role and one that is truly a privilege to hold, especially in such an outstanding school and caring community. Here are some of my highlights from the past 7 days…

Stay and Play

With the warmer weather and longer days appearing, it is a true delight having our families staying after school and enjoying our beautiful outdoor spaces together.

Reception Dad’s Night Out

I love hearing about (and participating in, with my ‘dad hat’ on), the many and varied social opportunities for families, parents and caregivers to connect outside of School. Last Saturday evening a large group of ‘Reception Dads’ got together at the newly opened Webber Grill Academy. We prepared food together, cooked on some amazing BBQs, shared stories of our various adventures and thoroughly enjoyed each other’s company in this new venue.

Team Sports

Cheering for our children as they develop skills for a new sport and collaborate together is a true joy as a parent. It is wonderful having teams playing for Annesley in the competitive netball and basketball leagues this term. I love my role as ‘assistant-assistant coach’ of the Year 2/3 netball team and training with them during Monday lunch times is a highlight in my week.

The Great SA Road Trip

It was brilliant to connect with students and staff on the Year 6/7’s ‘Great SA Road Trip’. I joined the adventure on Thursday to embark on a 4 hour kayak adventure in the Riverland. I was blown away by the physical ability and collaborative skill set of our students as they created rafts with their kayaks, set up their tents on the river bank and worked together to unload supplies form the convoy of vehicles making this 1200km+ road trip across our great state.

Adelaide Lions Club – Guest Speaker

It was an honour to be invited to speak at the Lions Club of Adelaide. This is a club that boasts a growing number of Annesley families in its membership. It was a pleasure to share about how schools are called to ‘rethink’ the way we go about our business in line with the recommendations of Australia’s Education Ministers in the Alice Springs Declaration (2019). I highlighted the meaningful ways that Annesley is able to provide varied, challenging and stimulating experiences that allow all learners to explore and build abilities, interests and experiences, develop initiative, be creative and enterprising.

I hope you enjoy the introduction video below. It was a surprise to me! Annesley’s Cubs Club will be setting up a stall near the front gate after school on Tuesday 10 November to sell their recyclable artwork with all funds raised going to their chosen foundation (ALCCRF) to support research into childhood cancer.

IPSHA Aspiring Leaders

As a leader of an independent school and a Board Member of the Association of Independent Schools in SA, it’s important that the school and I contribute to the development of the independent schools sector as a whole. It was a privilege to host the ‘wrap up’ of the IPSHA Aspiring Leaders Program in Gillingham Hall earlier this week. The Aspiring Leaders Program identifies teachers with great leadership potential and empowers them to make a positive difference in their respective communities and sector as a whole. I honour and commend Alicia Clare, Annesley’s Reception Coordinator, for her valued contribution to this program and her leadership within our School.

What a week! That’s a summary of some of the highlights. We have much to be grateful for in a place that truly prioritises what is best for children.

Play Video

- Reminder -
ELC & OSHC Closed Fri 11 December
For Staff Professional Development

Our School

‘Welcome to the Primary Years’

Soon our Year 2 students will be transitioning into Base 3, a significant milestone in the learning journey of these young people. In Week 2 we welcomed our Year 2 parents into our Primary Years learning spaces to share in a glass of wine and a discussion about the key features of the Primary Years at Annesley, tailored to learning needs of this important stage of childhood. We are committed to partnering with our parents in the learning journey of each and every child and encourage any family to make a time to meet with Jo Rossiter, Head of Primary Years to discuss anything of interest further at anytime.

The Quest

It has been a jam packed two weeks on The Quest at Annesley.

Year 4 students took part in their camp on the School grounds with a significant adult accompanying them for a time of connection and adventure!

Year 3 students enjoyed their first camp experience at Nunyara, Belair with the opportunity to tackle the famous Tree Climb.

Year 6/7 students embarked on their ‘Great SA Road Trip’ exploring significant regions of South Australia in Robe, Coonawarra and the Riverland. The took part in a visit to the Naracoorte Caves as well as kayaking, camping and fishing on the River Murray.

Bouncing Bean Café – Opening Soon

Some of our Year 7 students have been engaging with experts this year with the aim of opening a new student-led café. They have been working and researching to develop a viable business plan, budget, menu, lease agreement and have recently completed renovations in the existing café area and taken delivery of the new coffee machine. The students have received training and undertaken food handling and Covid-safe courses and we are now very excited to announce that the Bouncing Bean Café will open next week! Keep an eye out for more information about opening times early next week!

Nature Play
Dirtwork Landscapes is putting the final touches on our new play space! The monkey bars will be the final installation which will be complete in the coming weeks. From next week our students will begin to explore this exciting new space. Exploring a new space comes with great excitement and sometimes a little trepidation. To ensure this introduction is a positive experience, and inline with our risk assessment, teachers will be discussing safety and risk assessment measures with the students prior to their first play. Students will enjoy their first play in the new area in small groups across the coming week. This will also allow time for the students to reflect on their experience so they can be drivers of the play safe agreements. After the first play experiences the fence will be taken down and the area will be open for play. If your child is playing on any school equipment after school please be aware that staff are not on supervision duty past 3:45pm. If children are playing in the school yard past this time supervision and support from parents/caregivers is required.

Sports Day
Reception to Year 7
Friday 13 November 2020

Primary Years Learning

Reception (Alicia) - Video News

Play Video

A Note from our Chaplain

Talking Up The Value Of Compassion 

We have been enjoying our Year 1 students lead us in our Chapel song ‘Speak Life’ this month. When I came to them two days before the first Chapel of term, they saw the need and jumped at the opportunity with incredible passion.

Our school value of compassion is vital to building a strong community which cares for and respects one another. Compassion is showing kindness, and a willingness to help others. When you have compassion, you’re putting yourself in someone else’s shoes. You see when they are hurt, or disappointed, and you want to do something positive to help them. I have seen many moments over the last few weeks where our students have displayed beautiful compassionate to each other. God has made us to live in community. To care for each other. To love each other. To look out for each other. To build one another up. To speak “life” into each other. I wonder who you are about to talk to next?… It may just be your opportunity to compassionately speak life into their day and circumstance.

I see a need and help with passion, that is selfless true compassion.

Peter Morton
Annesley Chaplain

Assembly & Chapel

Term 4

At this stage we continue to ask parents and caregivers to refrain from attending for Term 4. We will notify our community via School Stream once we are able to invite parents and caregivers back to Chapel and Assembly in Gillingham Hall.

Date Assembly/Chapel Class Presenting
Thursday 12 November Chapel
Thursday 19 November Volunteers Assembly Year 6/7
Thursday 26 November Chapel
Thursday 3 December Graduation Assembly Year 2 (Ashleigh)

Annesley Parents' Association

A huge thank you to the Annesley Parents’ Association who recently held a breakfast for Annesley’s staff to say thank you for all they have done in 2020. What a wonderful way to start the day, complete with handmade thank you notes from the students displayed around the room.

We would also like to say thank you for the APA’s recent donation of new sandpit toys for the students – we think they will be put to great use!

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