Bairnsdale Campus news by Head of Campus Virginia Evans
My previous newsletter alluded to special events happening in Term 4, including camps, Celebration Day, a family dolphin cruise and our Art Show. I am now happy to report that each of these events were a sound success because of the detailed planning and, importantly, the enthusiastic and supportive response from our families.
Camps
Since the beginning of Term 4, students from St Anne’s and our Bairnsdale campus have combined at various camps across Gippsland including Gelantipy, near Buchan (Year 6), Coonawarra, near the Den of Nargun (Year 5) while our Year 4 students experienced Camp Rumbug, near Foster. And last term you may recall our Year 3 students also joined with St Anne’s to attend a camp at Camp Coolamatong on the Banksia Peninsula.
Our students’ experience at camp was one that built resilience, connectedness, and an opportunity to flourish as an individual, just as our well-being statement suggests. I personally thank the staff and parents that enabled this success through their commitment to our students and giving up their time to attend camp.
Celebration Day
We welcomed 14 of our School’s Year 12 students who began their schooling at our Campus back to Bairnsdale to share in our campus’s 17th Celebration Day. It was a lot of fun – particularly the Trivia quiz where the Foundation students were quick to answer – however, Year 12 student Amelia Norman’s rendition of her house chant was a highlight for all.
Dolphin cruise
Though the day was overcast for our ‘family dolphin cruise’ around the Gippsland Lakes, our spirits were high. Many of our families participated in the day, enjoying learning about our lakes, particularly the Burrunan dolphins. A BBQ at the Metung Park concluded the morning perfectly. Matt Montemurro from the Marine Mammal Foundation was thrilled to be there and gratefully accepted a healthy donation from Floss Law who independently raised money in an effort to protect our environment.
Art Show
More recently we were very proud to present our Bairnsdale Campus Art Show to the community (pictured below). Liz McConchie worked tirelessly in creating what was an inspiring display of our students’ creativity and talents. We are grateful to Cara Schaefer and Geoff Stagg for their music and the pizzas from Stuart and Emily Derham, which were well received at the opening, which was a huge success. Our students heard so many congratulatory comments made, including a particularly special one from a local artist Don Wordsworth – who happened to be Ms McConchie’s lecturer at university – who summed it up beautifully with the following:
‘The Art Show at your school is brilliant, an exhibition of which you and your teachers can be very proud. On reflection I think that, if I had to declare this exhibition ‘open’ I could have been lost for words and my emotions very close to the surface. It was wonderful to see so much work based on topics such as, wellbeing, current works, Country and recognised great art of the past. You are fortunate to have such an inspiring art teacher. As I said, the show was brilliant.’
To conclude I am so very proud of our School Community and to our students, thank you for ‘bringing your best self to school each day’.
Wishing you well for the remainder of the term.
