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• Sport achievements
• Winter sport 
• Kooringal update
• Overseas tours 

I hope you had a wonderful break and it is so good to have all students back on campus.

This term marks the start of winter sport for the School and in preparation for the new season, many students in the Senior squads participated in games and training sessions during the holidays. Our Soccer and Rugby teams met with Wesley for a tournament and scratch match. Cross Country students trained and held a start of season breakfast. Our Badminton players engaged in individual tournaments and Hockey travelled to Melbourne to compete in an international tournament hosted at Melbourne Grammar, finishing in 5th place overall. The AFL squad attended several training sessions, including one held at Mineral Resources Park in Lathlain, where Mark Stone led the team as they worked on their game style which has been adjusted to strengthen the team’s contest and defence. They also worked to build the connection as a squad with new year levels coming together. You can see a short video of the session here. Congratulations to Elijah Dennis for making the State 16s Academy selections and Clancy Dennis the State 18s Academy selections.

Congratulations also go to our Sailing team who won the WA School Sailing Championship and are invited to the Australian School National Championships in South Australia. Both the 1st and 2nd crews finished first and third respectively and performed the Linga enthusiastically after receiving their medals. Amazing outcome for the students and coaches, with pictures of the team on Facebook.

During the holidays I visited Kooringal to see firsthand the damage from recent fires. It was quite devastating to see the extent of the burnt area. We have been working closely with the Department of Parks and Wildlife, and they are impressed by the set-up of Kooringal and the fire safety measures the School has implemented over the past seven to ten years. However, until some significant rain comes our way, the fire is still classified as active, and as such we will be closely monitoring the weather and will advise the community when programs can return to Kooringal. Here are some recent images of the property.

The break was the perfect time for students and teachers to travel overseas. Students enjoyed the USA STEM Tour, which included visits to spots including Washington, Florida and the Kennedy Space Centre. Students studying Japanese visited Osaka, Hiroshima, and Tokyo, and our surfers enjoyed the tropical weather and crystal blue waters of the Maldives. The trips that our students embark on provide them with the chance to experience other cultures, respect differences and develop new friendships with their peers. Additionally, learning outside the classroom provides them with an understanding of the world in which we live, and allows them to develop the skills to live in, and contribute to, a global society. For more photos of these trips, visit our Facebook page.

Alan Jones
Principal

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• Winter uniform presentation
• Benefits of Interim Reports
• Scotch fixture
• Mouthguard policy

A warm welcome back to Term 2! Hopefully everyone is well rested and refreshed for another busy term.

Even though we are still getting treated with summer weather, a reminder that Term 2 signals the beginning of the winter uniform phase of the year. I seek the support of all parents in ensuring that students arrive at school every day with a high standard of presentation. All students are expected to wear their blazer, to and from school, in addition to a school jumper, if required, to keep warm. Polished shoes, a black belt, along with a haircut that meets our presentation standards are all part of respecting and taking pride in the school. Individual student photos were taken today, and it was great to see everyone looking well presented.

During the holidays, parents would have received academic Term 1 Interim Reports. Overall, these indicate that most students have made a very positive start to the academic year, but in some cases, there is concern about effort in academic performance. It is important that students use this report, and in consultation with classroom teachers, tutors and parents, to ensure issues are resolved promptly for better outcomes. For students, this should mean a review of their goals set at the beginning of the year, and for some this may mean the re-assessment and re-stating of these goals for the coming term. What is important is that the students take responsibility for their performance and constantly plan their time to be organised and ready to meet the challenges that lie ahead.

This Friday and Saturday we will play Scotch in our first winter fixture. It would be fantastic to see students and parents at these fixtures to support teams in the respective codes. This is a good time to reflect on the PSA Code of Behaviour in Sport which highlights that sport can play a role in promoting physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle, in learning to face challenges and strive against the odds, in developing qualities such as self-discipline, perseverance, selflessness, obedience, and in being a means of substantially building self-esteem. Good sportsmanship is an integral part of all that is best about sport. It includes a generous spirit, true respect for others and the game, graciousness, and a steadfast resistance to temptations such as attempting to gain an unfair advantage.

Term 2 is the beginning of invasive sports such as Rugby, Soccer, Football and Hockey. As such, please read the following policy regarding the requirement that all students playing contact sports wear a custom fitted mouthguard.

Upcoming Senior School Events

• PSA Sport v Scotch – Friday 19 and Saturday 20 April
• Christ Church / St Hilda’s Year 8 Cape to Cave Program Group 1: Saturday 20 to Wednesday 24 April
• ANZAC Day Public Holiday (no school) – Thursday 25 April
• SIA Nullagine – Sunday 21 to Friday 26 April
• Paul Litherland Cybersafety Community Presentation – Wednesday 24 April at 5.30pm to 7.00pm
• PSA Sport v Wesley – Friday 26 and Saturday 27 April
• Christ Church / St Hilda’s Year 8 Cape to Cave Program Group 2 – Sunday 28 April to Thursday 2 May
• PSA Sport v Aquinas – Friday 3 and Saturday 4 May
• Year 11 Dance – Saturday 4 May at 7.00pm
• Year 9 Sundowner & Camp Information – Sunday 5 May at 5.30pm to 7.00pm

Mark Morrissy
Deputy Principal/Head of Senior School

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• Understanding ANZAC Day
• JPSSA Winter sport
• School photos today and tomorrow
• Parent Forum on cyber safety

Welcome back to the start of a new term. It was great to see all the boys return to the Preparatory School and quickly remember their daily routines and recommence their class timetable. Each day our students navigate a timetable that provides a range of learning experiences that challenge and place a level of expectation that is appropriate for each boy. 

With ANZAC Day taking place next week, our library team have been busy preparing a memorable experience for all classes. This year in our journey of understanding and commemorating the sacrifices made during times of conflict, students are exploring a new book titled Wear a Purple Poppy by Fiona White. This moving narrative sheds light on the often overlooked heroes of war – the animals who served alongside the soldiers. Through her compelling story, boys will investigate the vital role played by donkeys, horses, cats, camels, dogs and elephants. This book is accessible to even our youngest boys, and therefore everyone will be contributing to a whole school purple poppy display in Manjar Square. 

Term 2 sees the commencement of our JPSSA winter sports fixtures for Years 5 and 6 with our first fixture against Scotch. Winter sports include AFL, Soccer, Rugby, Hockey, and Martial Arts. All boys are required to wear mouthguards, with the exception of Martial Arts. Boys are really looking forward to the winter season commencing and all winter training will start in Week 2. For details regarding the Week 1 fixture, please click here.

Throughout today and Friday, school photos will be taking place. Each boy would have brought home a flyer with their own specific code. Please follow the instructions on the flyer to order your son’s class and/or individual photo.  

I would like to invite parents to join me for the Term 2 Parent Forum. Each term the parent forum will provide families with an update about specific focus areas with the opportunity to ask questions about the Preparatory School. The Term 1 Parent Forum will focus on cyber safety and what parents can do to safeguard their children. This session will take place Tuesday 23 April commencing at 8.30am in the Preparatory School Staffroom. If you are interested in attending, please RSVP here. 

Dr. Steven Males
Head of Preparatory School