And Our Heads of Schools
Dear parents and caregivers,
Playford College has experienced an outstanding Term 3 with so many highlights including:
BOOK WEEK
It was wonderful to have
- Her Excellency, Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia
- Mayor Glenn Docherty
- Senator Simon Birmingham
- Senator Karen Grogan
- Senator Marielle Smith
- Senator Anthony Chisholm
- Federal Member of Parliament Matt Burnell
- State Member of Parliament Lee Odenwalder
- State Member of Parliament Zoe Bettison
- State Member of Parliament Tony Piccolo
- Playford City Councillor Chantelle Karlsen
- Authors Melanie Cellier and Deborah Grace White
read to our Primary children and tour the school. Playford College was honoured to have so many distinguished visitors who were so interested in the learning, faith and growth of this young Islamic school.
Other special happenings were the Secondary students reading to our Primary students, the colourful Book Week parade, the decorated classroom door's competition, having so many staff dress in costumes and the focus on reading progress. It was a very happy week.
SCIENCE WEEK
The College Science team entertained the whole school at separate Primary and Secondary assemblies which were fun, engaging and focussed on learning. They also prepared interesting lessons in classrooms which the students appreciated.
CELEBRATING FAITH
Visiting Sheikhs, Amin Rastani, Sayed Ali Imran & Ali Safdari, assisted students and staff to focus on God consciousness, student identity, Muharram and supported the Illumination staff to grow faith within Playford College. It was a great opportunity for Playford College staff and students and for Adelaide’s community to be blessed with the visits of such studied and well-esteemed scholars.
YEAR 9 CAMP TO KANGAROO ISLAND
Students and accompanying staff enjoyed 4 days of rich learning and experiences on Kangaroo Island while sand boarding, having raptors sitting on arms, understanding native creatures, learning about Australian fur seals, having history and environment lessons from the Deputy Mayor, planting trees on a farm and so much more. The students were delightful and the staff did not need to remind them about behaviour, cooperation or manners all week. They were a joy to take 'overseas'!
PRIMARY SWIMMING
Our Primary students 'loved' their week of swimming where their progress was significant. Lessons at the local Aquadome are convenient and the staff very relational.
YEAR 10 INTERVIEWS
Our Year 10 students were well prepared, confident and impressive during 'mock interviews' with strangers from outside the community. Many of the interviewees were delighted to have the conversations with our confident students and enjoyed visiting Playford College.
YEAR 3 CAMP ON HINDMARSH ISLAND
The Year 3 students and accompanying adults had a wonderful camp at Narnu Farm, especially with access to animals and new experiences.
SPORTING OPPORTUNITIES
As well as expert coaches involved in the PE program, new skills have been gained in inter school competitions. Our Year 6 boys' team were state champions for a second year in the Bachar Houli AFL Cup while our basketball and soccer teams played well. The tennis day for Year 3 and 4 was also popular.
PRIMARY STUDENT LED CONFERENCES
The conferences allowed students to celebrate learning with their families and the feedback was very positive. Teachers were proud of the confident way the children shared and many parents were amazed at the progress of the learning.
FATHERS' DAY
Over 50 dads and 'father figures' attended the first Fathers' Day breakfast and classroom visiting on September 1st. The breakfast was delicious and the sense of community very evident. It was a wonderful success and will become an annual event.
The Fathers' Day stall was also a great success with many students buying affordable gifts for their dads.
GROWING WITH GRATITUDE/ANTI-BULLYING FOCUS
As well as a delightful assembly led by Mr Emmett on the theme of connecting with each other, Primary students enjoyed meaningful activities with their buddy classes.
TEACHING AND LEARNING
Throughout the College, the progress of many students with their learning is regularly celebrated. As leaders, we also celebrate our dedicated and impressive skilled teachers, classroom support, administration and finance teams, grounds/facilities, bus drivers and Community Hub leader who combine to form a valued staff team. We hope each and every one of them has a super holiday.
We are looking forward to Term 4 and hope all families enjoy making memories during the holidays.
With Blessings,
Chris, Racha, Fiona and Neyaz
Faith in our College
As we find ourselves at the doorstep of the final part of Term 3, we reflect upon the incredible journey we've embarked upon together. It's been a season filled with meaningful experiences, spiritual growth, and enlightening discussions that have brought us closer to our faith and one another.
Arbaeen Program; Remembering the Sacrifice of Imam Husayn: Our Arbaeen program was a touching tribute to the sacrifice of Imam Husayn. We were honored to have Shaykh Ali Safdari, a distinguished guest scholar join us for this important occasion. His talks resonated deeply with our students, exploring Quranic stories, the purpose of our creation by Allah, and the inspirational role models in Islam. The lessons learned during these discussions will undoubtedly stay with us as we continue our spiritual journey.
Students' Quranic Memorisation and Conversations on the Journey to God: Our students have been diligently working on their Quranic memorisation, taking small but significant steps toward a deeper connection with the Quran. Their conversations on the journey to God have sparked curiosity and self-discovery, thus nurturing their understanding of the path they are on.
Pastoral Care; Exploring Parents and Islam: Our Pastoral Care sessions have been a source of insightful conversations, with a special focus on Parents and Islam. These discussions have provided an opportunity for our community to explore the vital role parents play in nurturing faith and character in our children. The culmination of our Pastoral Care program was marked by an eventful excursion at the end of Week 9, which fostered even stronger bonds amongst students and staff.
As we approach the well-deserved holiday break, we extend our warmest wishes to all members of our Playford College community. May this time of rest and reflection renew your spirits, and may you continue your journey to God with zeal and dedication.
Let's also look forward to the upcoming season of celebration, where we will commemorate the birth of the Prophet. It's a time of joy and unity, as we honour the life and teachings of the beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Thank you, Playford College community, for your unwavering support, dedication, and commitment to our shared values. Together, we have made Term 3, a term filled with growth, learning, and spiritual enrichment.
Wishing you all a rejuvenating holiday break and looking forward to reuniting for the exciting adventures that await in Term 4!
The Community Hub
On Tuesday 25th of September, the community hub hosted a session with experienced physiotherapists for females. The clinician spoke about different aspects of women's health, including issues that women face on a day to day basis, as well as having any individual consults if needed. The women enjoyed the session deceived an informal setting with physiotherapists from Women's and Children's Hospital. The hub will host many more sessions like this one in the future and look forward to having more families from the school attending.
Counsellor's Corner
Why should we continue to practise our routine during the school holidays?
It is important to maintain our good healthy routines, particularly sleep habits throughout the school holidays. This is because routines build connection between parents and children.
Holidays are a great opportunity for building a stronger bond with your children, to learn about their strengths and weaknesses and also to get to know them better.
It is very important to practise a routine in the school holidays as routines help children meet their developmental milestones and also allow parents and teachers to measure the child’s progress and wellbeing more accurately.
Therefore, it is essential to maintain some good healthy habits such as sleep, eating times, and setting a screen time limit to leave plenty of time for connecting and playing together.
What types of routine do we need to focus on during the school holiday?
- Bed times should be consistent every day, including the school holidays.
- Bed time story/reading should be a vital part of a child’s evening routine and an easy one to carry over through the school holidays. Bed time story/reading is a great way for children to settle down before sleep and for parents to build a strong connection with them.
- Morning and evening routines should be maintained as providing students with a structure to their day will help regulate and avoid any meltdowns at the end of the day.
- Family mealtime, particularly the family dinner time, should be maintained and remain consistent, as many children enjoy a meal with family. This is a great chance for parents to connect with their children. Parents can be creative in making mealtime fun, such as having a picnic in the garden, park, going to a restaurant or giving their children a choice of their own place to eat.
- It is essential to set screen-time limits during the school holiday. Avoid allowing the school holidays to be spent distracted by screens, rather use it as an opportunity to strengthen your relationship with your children by giving them time and attention, communicating, playing, and having fun together.
In conclusion, current studies demonstrate that families who follow routines and certain schedules, experience less mental health issues such as anxiety, depression, or sleep issues. Routines will help children to be aware of their daily schedules and know what their parents expect from them.
Term Dates
29/09/2023 - End of Term 3
29/09/2023 - Secondary School Reports Released (hard copy and email)
16/10/2023 - Student Free Day
17/10/2023 - Start of Term 4
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