Barbreck has been a buzz of activity all week with students engaged in a range of activities. After the challenges of 2020, it is wonderful to observe the girls laughing, smiling and having fun.

Chess at Barbreck

Chess has really taken off at Barbreck, with many girls from Prep – Year 6 wanting to learn how to play the game. The girls have been coached by Ross Reuven-Neumann, from Chess Ideas, and Miss Alyssa Flint. They have flourished under their tutelage and the girls have developed through lessons, practice rounds and the Chess Tournaments entered.

This year, despite COVID-19, the girls continued to learn and compete. The Barbreck team successfully made it through to the State Semi Finals and, earlier this month, competed at the State Chess Grand Final. Congratulations on an outstanding achievement! Congratulations are extended to:

• Year 6: Kaixuan (Isabelle) Cao, Minnie Chen, Harper Roberts, Lissette Shu
• Year 5: Yingying Ren
• Year 2: Nina Calvert

Congratulations must also go to Miss Alyssa Flint who has coordinated Chess at Barbreck and has had an undying belief in the girls and their abilities. This belief has inspired the girls to improve and seek greater achievements.

Year 1 publish their writing

The Year 1 students, after learning about kelp gardens and sea otters, wrote, illustrated and published their stories. These stories ranged from finding new friends to travelling back in time to the age of dinosaurs. They were all highly entertaining and showcased the great writing Year 1 students are doing – even after a period of home learning due to COVID-19! Most writing contained time and place phrases and joined sentences.

Great work Year 1 – keep up the great writing!

Discussions with Year 5 Girls

I have had the absolute delight to begin my morning tea and lunch time meetings with groups of Year 5 girls. I have been asking their thoughts on a range of topics and seeking their ideas for our School.

I have loved some of the responses to my questions:

• What do you love about Barbreck?
  • Everyone is so friendly, caring and kind
  • That we sing both verses of the National Anthem
  • The classrooms and everyone is welcoming
  • That it is small enough to know everyone
  • The playground
  • That teachers help us to realise mistakes are learning opportunities
• What would you like to see at Barbreck?
  • A basketball half court
  • Netball rings – more high ones
  • Talent quests
  • Outdoor reading nook
  • Outdoor performance area
  • An equestrian team
  • House meetings
  • Rules for the sandpit……

I have already started working on some of these ideas! The girls have been considerate of everyone with their thinking and show that 2021 Year 6 is going to be a wonderful year group.

Elections of Year 6 Captains

The elections have been held and those elected will be presented with their badges at the final assembly to be held on Friday 4 December at 8.30am. We have moved this event so that both our final assembly and the Speech Night can be filmed and recorded that morning.

The Process

The teachers and I talk with the girls about leadership – emphasising that this is a role of added responsibility and one that requires work. We also talk about the qualities of a leader and what to look for in a leader. Role descriptions are displayed so the girls know what the tasks are, that they are required to perform, the qualities to demonstrate and the standards which are important to uphold.

Junior School Co-Captains

The girls are then offered the opportunity to nominate by completing an application form. Once these have been collated, we start with the Junior School Captain positions. A team of staff then read and shortlist the applicants to a smaller group. These girls then plan and deliver an impromptu speech before the girls in their year level vote. The ballot forms ask voters to rank the girls in order of their preference.

Staff who know and teach all of these girls are also asked to vote. Once votes are collated, the successful applicants are informed.

House Captains

The election of these positions (eight in all) follows a different process due to the low number of applicants for each of the four houses. Sometimes, there are only two or three applicants nominated for some houses, as some girls choose not to take on a leadership position. This process also involves voting, with staff votes also playing a role, after reading all of the applications.

Music and Library Captains

These are quite select positions, with applications and demonstrated qualities being the key criteria for selection.

While these are the positions of added responsibility next year, all Year 5 and 6 girls will undertake an Ambassador Program in 2021, where they will learn many leadership skills such as public speaking, meeting formats and protocols, organisation for fundraisers and more. This is a new program which will be initiated in 2021. In the final term of 2021, Year 6 girls will have the opportunity to mentor the Year 5 girls through the roles and responsibilities encountered as a Year 6 leader – preparing them for their transition to Year 6.

Dance Parties

The girls were moving and grooving to the music while eating their icy poles this week at the lunch time dance parties. Ms Wootton was the Music Queen, Mrs de Nardis was the Dance Queen and Mr Russell was incredibly popular, bringing the icy poles.

Great fun was had by all!

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After The Bell

Out of School Hours Care is provided by After the Bell and is available from 7.00am until the commencement of the ELC program at 8.45am. This service is also available in the afternoons from 3.00pm until 6.00pm. The Out of School Hours Care Program operates within the ELC building. Find Out More