COLLEGE PRINCIPAL

Mr James Tamblyn

Foundation Day

On Thursday, 18 September, we celebrated Foundation Day. Our College was founded upon the vision of our local Anglican and Uniting Churches to create a school that supports students to develop a life-long love of learning; a vision we remain firmly committed to today.

At our Foundation Day Service we welcomed Pedare’s founding Principal, Geoff Catford, and his wife Jan as we reflected on stories, images and anecdotes from the College’s earliest years. Other guests included Moderator of the Uniting Church Rev Peter Morel, past Principal Mike Millard and wife Robyn, long-serving Deputy Principal Lindsay Jackson and wife Heather, and founding student Justin Jamieson.

Mr Jackson joined Justin Jamieson on stage, where they shared very personal recounts of their time at Pedare. What resonated throughout all their reflections was the consistent experience of a community where God’s love for us is reflected in our care for each other. The day also marked the beginning of our 40th Year celebrations, and we look forward to a range of other celebratory events to mark this special milestone.

Arts Showcase

Congratulations to all music students and staff who contributed to Pedare’s Music Showcase this week. The event was a celebration of our bands and ensembles, all of whom performed exceptionally well. The night was very well supported, and it was wonderful to celebrate our beginning musicians alongside our most accomplished senior performers. Really special to have students from Year 3 to Year 12 involved together. Thank you and well done to all involved.

Congratulations also to the students and staff involved in Pedare’s Art Exhibition which opened on Wednesday, 24 September. The quality of work on display highlights the talent of our Visual Art students, alongside their commitment and dedication. Thank you to our Visual Art staff for their support of our young artists and their work to organise such an amazing Exhibition.

Term 3

Thank you to all staff, students and community members for your contributions to a very successful Term 3. Please keep our Year 12s and their families in your thoughts and prayers as they approach the final leg of their schooling journey. We very much look forward to the celebrations marking their time at Pedare in the early part of Term 4.

I hope the upcoming term break provides an opportunity for you all to spend some quality time with family, and we very much look forward to welcoming students and staff back to commence Term 4 on Monday, 13 October.

HEAD OF JUNIOR SCHOOL

Ms Lisa Daws

As we reach the end of another incredibly rewarding term, I want to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to everyone in our wonderful Junior School community. 

In Week 9, Reception and Year 1 made a splash at their swimming lessons, developing essential water safety skills and growing in confidence with each session. Their enthusiasm and bravery were inspiring, and the joy on their faces was infectious.

We have also loved connecting with families at the Junior School Assembly Coffee and Connect sessions. These informal gatherings are a fantastic way to share updates, celebrate achievements and simply chat over a cup of coffee before Assembly. Your presence and engagement at these events mean a great deal to us, strengthening the vital partnership between home and school. Thank you for making these mornings so special.

Today, we were delighted to announce the recipients of Term 3 Shine Awards, recognising students who consistently demonstrate the College values and make a positive contribution to our community. These students have truly let their light shine, inspiring others through kindness, effort, and positive attitude. 

None of these wonderful experiences would be possible without the incredible staff, whose commitment, creativity and unwavering support for every child are truly inspiring. To our students, thank you for your curiosity, your laughter and your eagerness to learn. You make every day a joy. And to our families, your trust, partnership and encouragement are invaluable.

I wish you all a safe and restful break. We look forward to welcoming you back for another exciting term.

HEAD OF MIDDLE SCHOOL

Mrs Eliza Buckoke

It has been another busy and highly successful fortnight in the Middle School, with students continuing to impress with their enthusiasm, talent and commitment across a wide range of activities.

On Friday, 19 September, I had the privilege of attending the annual Tea Tree Gully Prayer Breakfast at Sfera’s Convention Centre, along with a group of student leaders from Years 9, 11 and 12, as well as the Worship Band. We were joined by Mr Willis, Mrs Smith and Mrs Tula. The guest speaker, Michael Neale, the Managing Director of Literally Brilliant, shared an inspiring message that connected marketing concepts with our Christian faith. He spoke about the importance of our “brand promise” being constant and consistent, and how this translates into showing integrity and compassion in daily life, as well as having the faith to step onto the bridge into the unknown.

We are incredibly proud of our students’ performance in the season of VEX Robotics tournaments. On Monday, 15 September, Pedare hosted a VEX IQ Middle School Tournament, and it was fantastic to see Pedare’s Team SG2-24 awarded the prestigious Design Award and qualified for the State Championship in November.

On the academic front, there have been some outstanding individual accomplishments. Congratulations to Drashti D (Year 6), who has been named Debater of the Year for the Year 7 division of the 2025 Schools’ Competition. This is an exceptional accomplishment, and we are so proud that she will be presented with a medallion by Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia, at a ceremony at Government House. Congratulations also to Melinda W (Year 8), who came in 6th place in the National Finals of the Australian Spelling Bee, making her the top student in South Australia.

A small group of Year 8 German students participated in an immersive German Day Out at Pembroke School as part of the annual Adelaide German Week, joining other students from across Adelaide for a day of activities. Additionally, Year 8 Graphic Design students have their photography work on display in the Hidden Worlds exhibition at Gallery 1855 in Tea Tree Gully. The opening night was held this Thursday, 25 September, and the exhibition will remain open until 18 October. Families and friends are welcome to visit and enjoy our talented young artists’ work. Finally, it has been fantastic to see so many students put themselves forward for the upcoming Year 8 Leadership Process. This demonstrates a wonderful commitment to our school community.

Thank you for your support throughout this term. We look forward to a successful end to the term, and wish you all a safe and restful break.

STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS

Year 3 VEX GO! Robotics

Year 3 students engaged in a learning experience involving the VEX GO! kits on Thursday, 11 September. This explored into the Unit of Inquiry, ‘How the World Works’, where we investigated the central idea that ‘Humans are Driven to Imagine’. During this session, we had insightful discussions about scientific and technological advancements, as well as how VEX Robotics and coding offer exciting opportunities for innovation. A huge thank you to Mr Zankov for his help and expertise, and all other support staff who made the day possible!

Miss Kayla Gyles

Exploring Adelaide’s Icons: Stage 1 Tourism and Business Innovation Excursion

On Wednesday, 17 September, Stage 1 Tourism and Stage 1 Business Innovation classes had the opportunity to experience two of Adelaide’s most iconic attractions, Adelaide Oval and Adelaide Zoo, as part of their studies.

For Tourism students, this excursion is linked directly to their unit on tourism destination studies. They have been exploring what makes destinations appealing to visitors and the strategies attractions use to increase visitor numbers. Business Innovation students have been studying the four dimensions of innovation: product, process, position and paradigm, and investigating how businesses apply these to target new markets.

The day began with a guided tour of Adelaide Oval, where students were given behind-the-scenes access. They had the chance to meet with Tourism and Operations Managers, visit the control room, sit in the corporate seats, enjoy the breathtaking view and even climb into the heritage-listed scoreboard.

In the afternoon, students visited Adelaide Zoo for a presentation on the social, economic and cultural impact of tourism. They learned how the zoo is working to diversify its market while continuing to strengthen its conservation efforts.

It was a fantastic day filled with beautiful weather, rich learning opportunities and valuable insights into how two of Adelaide’s most significant attractions operate in today’s tourism and business landscape.

Mrs Lauren Griffiths

Pedare Academic Competition Team (PACT) at TOM 2025

Logic, creativity, friendship, tangled wool and sock puppets: that’s the gist of the Pedare Academic Competition Team (PACT)’s experience at the 2025 South Australia Tournament of Minds (TOM). It’s an annual competition run in various regions of the world, challenging students’ thinking, collaboration, presentation skills and more with both long-term and spontaneous prompts.

This year, PACT took on the long-term challenges for Language Literature (Tales of Light, Dark and Tan) and The Arts (“We are the World”). In the former, they presented an innovative take on one of Shaun Tan’s iconic stories through a puppet show, while the latter, they performed an original musical piece and created a visual artwork conveying messages of global unity. 

Throughout the process of developing and presenting their responses, students learned the true essence of TOM; experimentation, authenticity, and most of all, connection.

Mrs Renee Simanis

NEWS, UPDATES AND RESULTS

The Pedare Extra-curricular Portal is the central hub for information and links to our Sports and Clubs program. Regularly updated, it provides the latest news, announcements, results and important updates on Pedare’s extra-curricular activities and events.

Term 3 Sports and Extra-curricular Assembly

It was a pleasure to host this year’s Term 3 Sports and Extra-curricular Assembly on Thursday, 25 September, celebrating the outstanding achievements of our Middle and Senior School students. Awards ranged from Basketball MVP and Coaches’ Awards to Debater of the Year, showcasing the diverse talents of Pedare students who continue to shine on stage and in their pursuits.

We also celebrated the successes of our Athletics Carnival. Congratulations to Surrey Community, winners of the All Age Relay Cup, and to Greenwith Community, the overall champions of the 2026 Athletics Carnival.

A special mention goes to our All Age Champions, who achieved the highest scores for their year level across a range of athletics events. Well done to all our talented sporting students, and thank you to the staff and students who contributed to the success of the Carnival.

Mrs Alana Tronnolone

Tea Tree Gully Anglican

Tea Tree Gully Anglican Church is a group of Christians who seek to serve Jesus in everything we do. Whether you are just visiting or looking for a Christian home, we aim to be a loving and supportive family for you.

On Sundays, we meet at the church at 8.30 am, 10.00 am and 6.00 pm. If you want to discover what the bible says Christianity is all about, join one of the numerous weekly bible discussion groups, or want to find out about our Kids Club (R-6) from 3:30-5pm and Youth group (Y7-12) from 7-9pm that both operate on a weekly basis during school terms.

Please visit our website (https://ttganglican.org.au/) or contact Rick Maude at [email protected] for details.

Gully Church (Tea Tree Gully Uniting) – Banksia Markets

Gully Church hosts the ‘local and friendly’ Banksia Markets on the first Saturday of each month from 8.30 am to 1.00 pm at 600 Milne Road, Banksia Park. Stalls inside the hall and in the car park include produce, fresh fruit and vegetables, jewellery, tools, bric-à-brac and lots more.

For more information, contact the Gully Church website at https://www.ttguc.org.au/ or email [email protected]

Golden Grove Uniting Church

Golden Grove Uniting Church, corner of Crouch and One Tree Hill Road, Golden Grove, has a traditional service at 10 am on a Sunday.  Also, on the second and fourth Sunday of the month, we have a cafe-style church, a relaxed contemporary worship service at 6 pm in the Church hall.

Café Youth is a fun, interactive program for young people ages 14 and up looking to engage in topics of faith. Café Youth sessions start with a fun 30-minute activity based on the theme for the night, then followed by “Talk Time”, during which the group discusses a topic of faith while enjoying delicious snacks, refreshments and pizza! The cost for each session is $5.

For further information, please contact the Office at 8251 4298 or email [email protected]  You can even check our webpage: https://www.goldengroveuniting.org.au

Please click here to visit the College Calendar for a full list of College events