Konnichiwa!

Following the success of our Chinese New Year celebrations in Term 1, we excitedly welcomed all Prep to Year 6s to enjoy a range of experiences exploring Japanese language and culture. On Monday 10 and Tuesday 11 June our students in Prep to Year 4 participated in a rotation of activities in the Cotton Library, led by our Senior students who are studying Japanese. Year 5 and 6 enjoyed a Taiko Drum performance and workshop, conducted by a visiting professional drum group.

During the immersion experience on Monday, the Consul General, Deputy Consul General, Cultural Affairs Officer from the Consul of Japan, Brisbane Shannon Whiley and Acting Director – Global Engagement (DEi), visited Somerville House. They spent the morning learning about our languages program, whilst also enjoying many of the immersion workshops taking place to give students an experience of Japanese culture and language development.

Students of Japanese heritage were invited to wear traditional Japanese dress to school on Tuesday, and we thoroughly enjoyed listening to Mrs Ward read, in Japanese, ‘The Storm That Stopped’. This was followed by a Japanese version of ‘Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’.These cultural and language activities provide students with an opportunity to engage in cultures other than their own, fostering a global outlook and an open mind to all perspectives, qualities we foster at Somerville House.

Somerville House has a long-established relationship with three sister schools in Japan. In the Senior School students studying Japanese have an opportunity to participate in exchanges with our sister schools, hosting a Japanese “sister” and visiting them in Japan. Our Senior students very much enjoyed sharing their passion for learning Japanese with the Junior School.

Thank you to Mrs Sarah Thomas, Miss Claire Huang and Mrs Stacey-Jane Feely, for organising this term’s language immersion days, the events and activities have given our students an appreciation for the Japanese culture and language.

Junior School Interhouse Athletics

We could not have asked for a more glorious day at SomerFields on Friday 7 June as students from Years 3 to 6, ran, jumped and threw their heart and soul into this year’s Interhouse Athletics carnival. The cheering, encouragement and colourful costumes captured the spirit of the day with Durack House taking home the Spirit Trophy. With every student taking part in the 100m, 200m and any field event as a minimum, participation and engagement was high.

The 800m races were hotly contested with runners neck and neck as they sprinted around the track, the championship 100m dash was almost a photo finish with Vivienne B (5D) getting across the line first, very closely followed by Elizabeth T (5A) and Cailtin S (6D) and the atmosphere during the relays was electric. Personal bests were achieved in high jump, long jump and the throws, the determination from the girls to achieve their best was evident throughout the entire day.

Congratulations to Chisholm House, who were crowned the winners on Friday afternoon, only 30 points ahead of Franklin.

It was a fantastic day of sport, well done to all competitors! Many thanks to Mr Sinclair and Mr McCabe for organising and leading the event. Special thanks to our amazing JSSG volunteers, you are the unsung heroes at many of events, thank you for supporting and providing sustenance for all.

It has been a busy Term 2, with many events, excursions, enriching classroom experiences and time to connect as a community. As we head towards the holidays, I hope that you all enjoy a break away from school, a time to recharge and reconnect.

Mrs Susan Clarke
Head of Junior School

Congratulations to our Year 5/6 teams who competed on Tuesday 28 May at the All Hallow's Mathematics Competition.

The competition was tough and challenged 35 teams from girls’ schools across the Brisbane district in a range of mathematical questions. Students had to work as a team to problem solve and compete against the clock. Well done to our teams who placed first, sixth and ninth – great work!

Thank you to Year 6 Teacher Mrs Rebecca Burke, Learning Development Teacher Ms Giann Keir and Teacher Aide Mr Tom Sedgwick for organising and accompanying the girls on the day.

Winning Team – 1st place
Katrina Z (5C), Angela Z (5B) and Naomi Z (6D), Harriet B (6C), Catherine K (6C)

Team 2 – 6th place
Diya B (5C), Emily J (5D) and Naaz B (6A), Georgia L(6B), Emma Y (6B)

Team 3 – 9th place
Chloe L(5C), April W (5A) and Araliya S (6C), Sophia X (6C)

On Tuesday 21 May, the Year 5 and Year 6 teams competed in the State Championships of the Da Vinci Decathlon at Nudgee College. They competed against 52 teams from various schools around Queensland.

The Da Vinci Decathlon is a very challenging academic competition spread across 10 different disciplines. The team of 8 girls work on papers in these subjects:

• Mathematics
• English
• Art and Poetry
• Science
• Engineering
• Creative Producers (drama)
• Ideation
• Cartography (mapping)
• Code Breaking
• Legacy (general knowledge)

The Year 5 team, led by Learning Development Teacher Ms Keir, worked hard and enjoyed their day immensely. Only the top three places are announced and the Year 5 team narrowly missed out.

The Year 6 team, led by 6C Classroom Teacher Ms Ries, also competed fiercely and achieved great results, placing second in Queensland in the Art and Poetry category, and third in Queensland in the Code Breaking category.

All DaVinci Decathlon team members are to be congratulated on their hard work and the spirit they showed both in preparing for the challenge and in their participation on the day.

Year 6 Team Members
Naaz B (6A), Catherine K (6C), Summer L (6C), Araliya S (6C), Sophia X (6C), Claire Y (6A), Emma Y (6B), Naomi Z (6D)

Year 5 Team Members 
Ella B (5C), Diya B (5C), Cynthia C (5C), Chloe L (5C), Audrey L (5B), Anjali S (5B), April W (5A), Angela Z (5B)

Congratulations to the Readers Cup team for placing 6th out of 26 schools!

The competition was very close between the 10 top-placed schools, and the team - Ivy S (5B), Amélie B (5C), Catherine K (6C), Ruby L (6D) and Rhythm M (6D) - worked brilliantly together throughout this term to achieve such an admirable place.

You will receive your daughter’s Semester One report during the upcoming holidays, and I encourage you to take the time to help your daughter reflect on the results she achieved in Semester 1, and set some goals for the remainder of the year. 

The formal Parent/Teacher interviews early next term will be an excellent time to discuss your daughter’s results and progress with her teachers. These interviews are on Monday 15 and Wednesday 17 July (Term 3, Week 2). 

Information has been posted on SomerLink, and bookings will open on Tuesday 9 July at 8pm.

Junior School Badge Presentation Assembly – Tuesday 16 July

A reminder that we warmly invite parents of all Prep and new students to a special assembly on Tuesday 16 July (Term 3, Week 2) commencing at 9am in the Harker Auditorium, Valmai Pidgeon Performing Arts Centre (Level 5). Junior School students who have been at Somerville House for one semester or more will receive their School Badge at this assembly.

Please be aware that there is very limited parking available in the Loop at this time of day, and click here (if you have not already done so) to register your attendance by Monday 8 July.

The ceremony will conclude at approximately 10am. We hope you can join with us to celebrate this very special step in your daughter’s school journey.

It has been a very busy time in the music department of late with no less than four major events in the last week alone!

A big congratulations to our Year 5 String, Guitar and Band Students for a stellar performance last Wednesday 5 June!

On Thursday 6 June, we had our 2nd Kaleidoscope for the year. It was a huge success with members from many of our intermediate ensembles performing to a very high standard. Congratulations to all involved!

Our annual Chamber Music Concert on Saturday 8 June at St Luke's was an absolute hit - the students performed amazingly well to a completely packed church. The audience couldn't stop raving!

Our musical week rounded off with a combined choral concert featuring Camerata, Cantrice as well as the touring Choir from Hillcrest College and the Brisbane Birralee Voices. There were some stunning performances with the concert concluding with a commissioned work called 'Lutruwita' which will form part of the tour repertoire for our choirs.

Best of luck to our singers touring to Tasmania in June and July at the Festival of Voices - I'm sure you will have an absolute ball and make some unforgettable memories.

A special thanks to the music staff for their unending passion and dedication this last fortnight and for the whole semester - thank you for supporting our students in their lessons, rehearsals and performances!

Mr Shannon Leonard
Acting Director of Co-Curricular Music

Congratulations to the following students on their recent results and accomplishments:

Audris N (9E) - CMus Flute

Hilary H (12O) - AMus Piano

Maggie H (7E) - A+ Gr 7 Voice and Communication