Junior School Year in Review

I cannot believe that in just two short weeks I will have been in the role of Head of Junior School at Somerset College for one year and wow, what a year it has been! I started the year with high hopes and high expectations around community, staff and students, and I certainly have not been disappointed.

The Junior School is a hive of activity – every single week, of every term. This year I have enjoyed spectating and handing out places and medals at swimming carnivals, athletics carnivals and Cross-Country events with our students. Students have excelled in APS Sport Rounds each week in Term Two and Term Four. We have performed many concerts for Dance, Music and Drama, for events such as Grandparents' Day, Easter Hat Parade, Book Week celebrations, Global Awareness Day and Day of Dance. The musical, The Lion King, in Term One was certainly a highlight. Musical Showcase each semester has been impressive. The Year 5 Evening of Eminence and Exhibition, were two massively successful events on the College calendar.

Our students have demonstrated their skills, learning and knowledge through events at school, such as Year 5 Shop, Kidpreneur initiative and Taste of Asia Day in Year 6, Public Speaking Competitions and the Junior School Art Show. It has been exciting to be part of many excursions across various year levels and to have participated in the Year 2 Sleepover, Year 3 Camp at Tyalgum, Year 4 Camp at Midginbil Hill, Year 5 Camp at Mapleton and the Year 6 trip to Tasmania. I love being able to get to know staff and students in these different environments and activities, as each individual takes on challenges they may never have had to face before, demonstrating resilience and strength as well as hope and humour.

The students impress me endlessly with their talents and commitment to learning and the evident pride they have in being a student at Somerset College. We have an extremely high calibre of teachers who are professional and dedicated to encouraging excellence in academics, co-curricular activities and personal development, with the aim of developing a love for lifelong learning in your child.

Thank you so much to the parents of the Junior School. I believe it is crucial to build strong relationships with parents, enabling us to work closely together. I have appreciated the many conversations, debates, interviews, feedback, comradery and celebrations we have had together this year. Community is important to me, and through developing an effective partnership between the home and school, we will provide the very best education for your child.

I am looking forward to the final two weeks of term and I look forward to seeing you all at the Christmas concerts and celebrations as well as Scholars' Day.

What can I say when reflecting upon the Junior School year in review? It was absolutely fantastic! I cannot wait to do it all again next year.