GG Term 1 2025 Newsletter

principal's message

Dear Pinnacle College Community,

As Term 1 comes to an end, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the wonderful experiences and achievements we have shared. This term has been filled with meaningful events that have strengthened our school community and showcased the dedication of our students, staff, and families.

A New Chapter: It has been a great privilege to join Golden Grove Campus as the Principal this year. After five incredible years at Elizabeth East Campus, I am excited to bring my experience and enthusiasm to this vibrant school community. I am grateful for the warm welcome I have received and look forward to working with you all to support our students in their learning and personal growth.

Community Engagement & Celebrations: We have had a fantastic term of community-building events. Our Iftar gatherings brought together students, staff, and families, fostering a spirit of unity and reflection. A special thank you to our teachers and our school leaders for their involvement in organising these events, ensuring that they were both meaningful and inclusive. It was wonderful to see our School Leader Iftar provide an opportunity for student leaders to engage with staff and peers in a supportive setting.

Harmony Day was another highlight, celebrating the diversity that makes our school community so unique. Seeing students and staff come together to appreciate and respect different cultures was truly inspiring. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this day a success.

Pastoral Care Initiatives: Our Pastoral Care team has worked hard to organise iftar programs for families and engaging activities that support student well-being and foster a sense of belonging.

Traffic & Safety Reminders: As always, student safety remains a top priority. We kindly remind parents and guardians to follow traffic regulations around the school during drop-off and pick-up times. Please be mindful of speed limits and parking guidelines to ensure the safety of all students and staff. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated.

Gratitude & Looking Ahead: I want to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our teachers, staff, students, and families for their unwavering support and commitment to our school community. Your dedication and enthusiasm will always make Golden Grove Campus a special place to learn and grow.

I look forward to an exciting Term 2 filled with more opportunities for learning, collaboration, and success. Wishing you all a restful and enjoyable break!

Warm Regards,
Gokhan Kot
GG & GP Campus Principal

primary coordinator

Dear Parents/Caregivers, 

I hope you are doing well. We have had such a busy yet great start to 2025. It's truly uplifting to see our students, staff and community in a joyful and positive atmosphere at school. 

I would like to highlight our ‘Core School Values’ at Pinnacle College:

• Innovation
• Compassion
• Respect
• Integrity 
• Excellence
• Diversity

We have many ideas and plans on the integration of these values in our classrooms and learning. Our goal is to educate each other about what these values look like in our schooling community and extend it beyond the classrooms. We have some exciting plans to ensure we meet our goals for 2025 which will include the following:

• Modeling Values through Collaboration and Interactions
• Integration into Curriculum
• Recognition and Reward System
• Community Involvement
• Student-Led Initiatives
• Regular Reflection and Evaluation
• Professional Development for Staff
• Consistent Communication between Parents, Stuff & Wider Community

To those celebrating, Eid Mubarak! May this joyous occasion bring you and your loved ones abundant blessings and happiness. I hope everyone has a safe and relaxing holiday. See you soon for a fun filled Term 2! 

Kind Regards,
Mrs Sawafta Natasha 

Primary Coordinator

secondary coordinators

As we come to the end of the first term of 2025, we would like to congratulate all our families, students, and teachers for their involvement, hard work, and dedication to starting the year off strong. Every year is a fresh start filled with adjustments as we implement updated policies, welcome new teachers, and refine our expectations; particularly as the school grows and we work to maintain the standards you expect from Pinnacle College. 

The transition of our Year 7 girls into high school was a highlight of Term 1 and a resounding success, thanks to everyone who provided support. Academic workshops provided foundational study skills, while the comprehensive school tour ensured they were well-settled on campus. The library evening fostered a collaborative learning environment, and subject orientation workshops offered valuable curriculum insights. The three-day girls' camp at Woodhouse Adventure Park built lasting friendships and resilience, and the parents' information evening addressed concerns and provided helpful resources. Overall, the program ensured a smooth and positive start to their high school journey.

An additional feature of this term was the completion of NAPLAN for the year 7’s and 9’s. The girls showed tremendous resilience considering NAPLAN occurred during Ramadan this year. We would like to acknowledge the support and flexibility displayed by their teachers, and look forward to receiving and sharing the results with you when they are released. 

While Term 1 is now coming to an end, we encourage you to continue to talk to your daughters about respect, responsibility, work ethic, and kindness. We sincerely thank you for your support and commitment to reinforcing strong values here at Pinnacle College. Together we can ensure that your daughters are on the path to becoming confident, respectful and balanced young adults.  

Thank you kindly,

Dr Genine Meredith & Mrs Shyamali Jayasena

Secondary Coordinators 

primary teaching & learning coordinators

We would like to formally congratulate our Year 3 and Year 5 students who have now completed all NAPLAN assessments for this year. Thank you to our staff and parents for all their support during the testing period. Individual reports will be sent out to us during Term 3.

Reading in the Early Years 

Reading aloud and sharing stories with your child when they are young can help them develop literacy skills and learn about the world around them. Children learn words and language skills from listening and engaging in stories, songs and conversations.

Benefits of Reading and Storytelling:

• helps your child get to know sounds, words and language, and develop early literacy skills
• introduces your child to the value of books and stories
• sparks your child’s imagination and curiosity
• promotes your child’s brain development and ability to focus and concentrate
• helps your child build social, communication and emotional skills
• helps your child learn about the world, their own culture and other cultures.

Years 3-6 students have been working with an online reading assessment tool “Literacy Pro”. This tool begins with a quick online, adaptive assessment to measure a student’s comprehension and level of text complexity. Students are given a Lexile number which then allows them to read in their ability range. The platform gives all an opportunity to search for texts of interest at their Lexile level and a huge range of online e-books. Literacy Pro is all about matching students to a ‘good fit’ book, monitoring their achievements and motivating our students to read more.

Kind Regards,
Mrs Shaneel Wall, Head of Primary Teaching and Learning
Mrs Chloe Rees, Teaching and Learning Coordinator - Golden Grove

secondary curriculum updates

Arabic Department

Year 7 students participated in an exciting Arabic incursion, where they created a polymer clay burner for Ramadan. This hands-on activity not only allowed them to explore artistic expression but also strengthened their Arabic learning. By incorporating cultural elements, students deepened their understanding of Ramadan traditions while enhancing their language skills in a creative, engaging way.

Art & Technology Department

Term 1 has been full of activities for the Art and Technology Department. While Junior and Senior Secondary classes have been busy working on a diverse range of projects featuring coding and making, Art and Technology Scholarships Round 2025 is now finalised. We extend congratulations to Mihrimah Geyik (Year 9) as the recipient of Technology Scholarship and the following students as the recipient of Art Scholarship: Aman Shahid (Year 8), Amal Shahid (Year 8), Sadiya Multani (Year 9), Sareh Jorfi (Year 10), Sumaya Niyazi (Year 10). 

Our recent graduate Zainab Ali’s SACE Art Project has been accepted as part of the SACE Art Show 2025. Her work is exhibited at the Lights Square Gallery in the city and will be travelling around South Australian Galleries throughout 2025!

The annual Refugee Week Poster Competition entries are coming to a close. Please submit works to the art subject teachers or the front office by 4th of April to be considered for an entry.

English Department

The English Department has had an exciting and engaging start to the year, with students diving into reading, writing, and debating opportunities that challenge their thinking and creativity.

Writers’ Week – Year 12 Excursion

Premier’s Reading Challenge 

We’re excited to launch the Premier Reading Challenge where students can discover recommended reads based on:

• The Premier’s Reading Challenge Book List
• Community Value Recommendations – books suggested by students, parents, and staff that reflect themes of respect, identity, and personal growth.
• Qur’anic Values Books – literature that aligns with themes of justice, kindness, and wisdom.
• Teachers’ Recommendations – a special feature where each month, students can guess the teacher whose favourite books are on display!

Encouraging a love for reading remains at the heart of our department, and we invite all students to participate in the Premier’s Reading Challenge.

YouDebate Tournament – Term 2 Preparation

Debating fever is running high as students from Years 7–10 prepare for the YouDebate Tournament in Term 2. In preparation, each year level will take part in a practice debate later this term, competing between the Golden Grove and Elizabeth East campuses. These debates will sharpen students’ skills in argumentation, critical thinking, and public speaking—essential tools for academic success and beyond.

We can’t wait to see our students showcase their talents across reading, writing, and debating as the term progresses! Stay tuned for more updates.

Health & Physical Education Department

Our HPE department always strives to create as many sporting opportunities for our students. In lunchtime clubs there are 4 sports on offer at the Golden Grove campus. This includes Volleyball, Badminton, Basketball and Soccer. Basketball and Soccer are run by external coaches and there is a $25 fee per student per term. This is due to the excellent coaching that the students receive. We hope to see students committing their clubs by attending every week and improving their skills.

In Week 10 we had Primary Sports Day, which our Secondary girls play a key role in making sure the day runs smoothly. Our Sport Scholarship students and Year 9 Sports Elective Students attended on the day as student helpers. These students run the events for the primary children which is a fantastic opportunity for them to work on their leadership skills. The girls did an excellent job in teaching the students and encouraging them to be their best.

 As we are coming up to assessment time our students have been busy studying for their Health assessment tasks, including; Health Benefits of Physical Activity Test (Year 7), First Aid Test (Year 8), Body Image Assignment (Year 9) and Skeletal and Muscular Systems Test (Year 10).

Humanities Department

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Eid Mubarak!

Term 1 has come and gone quickly! Our students have been busy with their studies and achieved many milestones already.

As part of our ongoing efforts to foster environmental responsibility and sustainable practices, we would like to bring your attention to the International Day of Zero Waste on March 25th. This global initiative encourages communities to reduce waste, recycle, and adopt sustainable habits. As global citizens, we encourage our students to engage in activities that promote waste reduction to promote a sustainable future. We invite all families to join in the celebration by exploring ways to minimise waste at home and within our community.

We look forward to collaborating with you to make this year a meaningful and impactful one for our students, while also contributing to a healthier planet.

Mathematics Department

Dear Parents/Caregivers,

Welcome to the latest edition of our newsletter!

As the Mathematics Department, we extend our best wishes for a successful and enriching year in mathematics to all our students. Our dedicated team is committed to supporting your child’s learning and growth in the subject.

Year 7 – Mrs. Shyamali Jayasena

Year 8 – Mr. Hayatullah Khan & Mrs. Melek Akkus

Year 9 – Mr. Hayatullah Khan & Mrs. Melek Akkus

Year 10 – Mrs. Melek Akkus & Mr. Mahmut Karaduman

Year 11 – Mrs. Shyamali Jayasena & Mrs. Kubra Hussein

Year 12 – Mr. Sami Hussein & Mrs. Kubra Hussein

For general matters - Mr. Gokhan Kot

Our team looks forward to working with students to develop their mathematical skills and confidence throughout the year.

14th of March - The Significance of Pi Day

Every year on March 14, math enthusiasts around the world celebrate Pi Day, a tribute to the mathematical constant π (pi), approximately 3.14159. This number, representing the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter, has fascinated mathematicians for centuries and remains essential in fields such as engineering, physics, and technology.

Pi is an irrational number, meaning its decimal representation never ends and never repeats. Mathematicians have calculated millions of its digits, yet its full sequence remains unknown. Despite this, π appears in countless mathematical formulas, from calculating areas and volumes to advanced applications in science.

Pi Day serves as a reminder of the beauty of mathematics and its real-world significance. While we may not have formally celebrated this year, we encourage students to explore the wonders of π through puzzles, calculations, and fun facts. Who knows? Maybe next year, we’ll find a creative way to mark the occasion!

Happy Pi Day to all math lovers!

Religion & Values Department

Before the start of Ramadan, students had the unique opportunity to participate in an informative Ramadan Awareness Workshop, organized by the RV Department. The workshop aimed to deepen students' understanding of the spiritual and cultural significance of Ramadan, as well as to foster awareness about the values associated with the holy month.

The session explored key topics such as the meaning of fasting, the importance of reflection and self-discipline, and how Ramadan is observed across different cultures. It also highlighted values like charity, empathy, and community, encouraging students to reflect on how these values can be incorporated into their daily lives.

What truly stood out was the engaging Q&A session at the end of the workshop. Students asked a variety of insightful questions, from the practical aspects of observing Ramadan to its deeper cultural and spiritual significance.

Science Department

The Science Department has had a dynamic and engaging start to 2025, with students diving into exciting topics and hands-on investigations across all year levels.  From exploring ecosystems and energy transformations to experimenting with chemical reactions and investigating forces, our students have been developing their scientific inquiry skills and curiosity about the world around them.

Our dedicated team of science educators is committed to creating an environment where students feel inspired to ask questions, seek evidence, and think deeply. We look forward to continuing a year filled with discovery, exploration, and a love for science both in and beyond the classroom.

inclusive education coordinators

Dear Parent and Carers, 

As Term 1 comes to a close, teachers and Inclusive Education Coordinators have been reviewing and updating Individual Learning Plans (ILPs) for students who require them. Family consultations have been ongoing, and we encourage you to take part by meeting with us to discuss your child’s learning adjustments and support needs.

If your child requires an ILP and you haven’t yet scheduled a meeting, please contact your child’s teacher to arrange a time. Your involvement is invaluable in supporting their success!

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)

Each year, all Australian schools participate in the NCCD to identify and report on the support provided to students with diagnosed or imputed disabilities. This process helps schools improve inclusive practices and assists governments in future planning.

The data submitted includes:

• Year level
• Category of disability (physical, cognitive, sensory, or social/emotional)
• Level of adjustment provided

The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and does not involve testing. The school provides data in a way that ensures no individual student can be identified. Privacy and confidentiality are strictly maintained under relevant laws. For more details, refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy. 

For further information, visit the NCCD Portal or contact the relevant Inclusive Education Coordinator.

Kerry Sangermano & Gianna Palumbo 

Inclusive Education Coordinators (Primary & Secondary)

school counsellors

Hello everyone,

I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as a new school counsellor during 2025. My name is Ms Emily and I am taking over for one of our lovely school counsellors, Ms Zina, while she is off during the year. I am working 5-days a week with both primary and secondary students at the Golden Grove campus and am delighted to be part of the community. The wonderful Ms Amalina, is also supporting both primary and secondary students on Thursday and Friday at the Golden Grove campus this year.

As a counsellor, I offer a wide-range of understanding through an empathetic, goal-orientated approach to support that is tailored for each student's need. I aim to empower young people to reach their goals and to be able to navigate life’s challenges. I have experience supporting diverse minds, in particular with children and young people in both school and community settings. During term 1, I have met many of our brilliant students and have already seen them working hard on their personal, social, emotional and academic goals. I have seen how proud the school community is of our students at Pinnacle College!

Please feel free to reach out to Ms Amalina or myself if you have any questions about school counselling, to say hello, or if you have a child that may benefit from any level of counselling support.

Emily Devitt & Amalina Yahya, School Counsellors

pastoral care

The leaders of the Peer support program and primary year 4 and 5 students came together at a workshop at the beginning of the year to brainstorm fun ideas for the term 1 Peer support activities. In Ramadan, before Eid AL Fitr and Easter, they prepared gifts for the staff of Pinnacle celebrating both Eid and Easter.

“Before Ramdan, us students had two Pastoral Care after school programs, in which we did fun activities, like making our own food platter. During Ramadan, we had different fun Iftars, which were the home Iftars, the mother daughter iftar, and the sleepover. The sleepover was especially nice, because we had Iftar and Suhoor as a group, and did fun activities, like watching a movie. Near the end of Ramadan, we got a gift bag with sweets for each of us, in celebration of Eid Ul Fitr. The bags were a gift from the teachers, and we all enjoyed them. InshAllah the next Pastoral Care after school program will begin in Term 2 Week 2 Tuesday. We are all very excited.

Written by Salsabil Al Bayati and Juwayriyah Elfayoumi, Year 8A

primary sports coordinator

The girls put in an amazing effort at the Bachar Houli Cup, showing great teamwork, determination, and skill throughout the tournament. While they didn’t take home the overall win, they secured several victories and made the school proud with their performance. In swimming, a few of our students also represented Pinnacle College with outstanding effort, and we are especially proud of Mariam Shama and Elif Kudrat, who have been invited to compete in the SAPSASA State Championships. Congratulations to all our athletes for their hard work and dedication!

Mr John Incoll

secondary sports coordinator

In Secondary Sports this year we have had several events that students have participated in. Our Year 7 and 8 students won the Bachar Houli Cup - congratulations girls! Aya Hamada was awarded the best player in the whole competition - congratulations Aya. Our Year 7 and 8 Basketball students competed in a Basketball Competition at St Clair and our Year 10 girls competed in a Beach Volleyball competition in Mawson Lakes. Both teams played hard and earnt great results for our school. 

In Week 8, Pinnacle College competed in the Zone Track and Field competition at Bridgestone Athletics Centre against other schools. Our school placed 4th in the competition which was an outstanding effort for our first time participating. The majority of our students were fasting during this time which makes this achievement more impressive. We had some students receiving ribbons and winning their events, as well as many students who volunteered to compete in extra events to earn more points for our school. 

Special mention to Masangay Swaray (1st place 200m & Shotput, 2nd place Long Jump), Aafrin Nuriati (1st place 400m, 2nd place long jump), Sarah Sabir (2nd place 100m). Overall, it was a fantastic day and our students represented Pinnacle College very well.

Did you know? The SA government is providing up to a $200 deduction in Sport Clubs fees for children to play sports? If you are a member of a sporting club outside of school, or wish to join a sports club, then you can use these vouchers to cover the club fees. Visit https://www.sportsvouchers.sa.gov.au/ for more information!

primary src

I would like to congratulate all the students who have been selected to be an SRC this year! We cannot wait to see what they will accomplish this year. Students are eager to share their opinions and ideas about how to improve our school.  Congratulations! What a wonderful accomplishment!

Mrs H

secondary src

After an extensive selection process, the SRCs for years 7 to 10 were selected in Term 1. We are all very excited about the positive changes the SRC will bring to Pinnacle College in 2025!

On the 3rd of March, the SRCs attended The Adelaide Youth Leadership Conference, this was an influential event aimed at empowering young individuals to pursue their passions and embrace leadership roles within their communities. A highlight of the conference was the keynote address by Amber Brock-Fabel, the 2025 South Australian Young Australian of the Year and founder of the South Australian Youth Forum. The conference inspired our SRCs, as well as Wadeeha and I, to harness our unique skills and perspectives, reinforcing the belief that youth are not just future leaders but are capable of leading today.

Wadeeha and Zeenat (School Captains)

Below are a few quotes from the SRC:

“I think it was a very productive conference, having taught us the importance of leadership and how to manage the role.” - Aaya Shawqy 

“...expanding our knowledge and targeting weak points which restricted us from reaching our potential.” - Hareem Shaikh 

“...the interactive ways the team shared information while keeping the audience hooked was extremely entertaining” - Maria Ali

“It was really valuable to talk to people in person, ask questions, and gain insight directly from them.” - Elaha Jafari 

 “I left feeling encouraged and inspired” - Fatimah Usman

junior primary

Hello JP Parents! A warm welcome to all our new families and new students that have started their schooling and learning journey at Pinnacle. The Foundation students have been very brave settling into new routines, learning new faces and becoming independent learners. Thankyou for your cooperation and assistance in supporting our littles as they take on the big world! The JP team have loved getting to know and meet them, and can’t wait to see what this brings! Not forgetting our Year 1s and Year 2s, they are becoming more mature and independent as they are no longer the new kids on the block! We have had some great experiences so far this term; Animal incursions, cooking incursions, swimming week, starting clubs and Sports Day! 

Mrs H, Mrs Abraham and Mrs Rees

middle primary

Students in middle primary have kicked off the year in great style! 

The Year 3 students have been putting in a lot of effort and have recently completed their very first NAPLAN tests. We are incredibly proud of their hard work and determination! Additionally, we had an amazing Boomerang Art Workshop where students had the chance to decorate their own boomerang as part of our visual arts unit. Meanwhile, the Year 4 students have been diving into the world of writing, focusing on procedural texts and biographies. They have been learning how to write clear, step-by-step instructions for various tasks, developing their ability to communicate processes effectively. At the same time, they have been exploring biographies, researching and writing about influential figures, understanding their achievements, and learning how to structure engaging life stories. 

Mrs Sangermano and Mr Incoll

upper primary

It has been an action-packed start to the year in Upper Primary! After learning some great water safety tips during Swimming Week and completing NAPLAN testing, the Year 5s have enjoyed a fun excursion to end the term at the Old Adelaide Gaol. This was to help expand our knowledge in relation to our HASS unit of Colonial Australia in the 1800s. We were amazed by the history and interesting stories we heard! We all enjoyed ending the term by celebrating cultural diversity on Harmony Day.

Ms Zeunert and Mrs Sawafta

front office

library

It has been an exciting start to the school year in the library with the introduction of Lexile levels.  Lexile levels are a way to measure the difficulty of a book and match it to a reader's ability. The Lexile level is represented by a number, where higher numbers mean more complex texts. Library staff were very busy at the end of last year making sure all our Lexile books had a sticker that identified their level. Another way students can find the Lexile number of a particular book is to look it up on the library catalogue. We’re very excited with this new system, which will greatly help students on their reading journey.

The Scholastic Book Fair will again be held at Golden Grove next term (June 17-23). There will be hundreds of different books and other items available for purchase and we encourage you to come in with your child before or after school during the fair to have a look at the wonderful selection. Buying books from the fair is a great way to help Pinnacle College as Scholastic gives back a percentage of the total spend to our school to purchase new books and educational resources.

oshc

The OSHC service will always provide opportunities to play, be active, complete homework, make new friends, be creative artists, and gardeners, or just relax!

Each term we chose a theme to follow – this term we decided “Top Jobs in Australia"!

We have been exploring some of the most popular and exciting careers, from doctors and firefighters to teachers and athletes. The children shared their dream jobs, imagining what they might become one day. Some hope to help people as nurses or police officers, while others dream of building amazing things as engineers or architects. Through fun discussions and activities, we’re inspiring each other to think big and believe in our future careers.

Regards – Allison

OSHC Coordinator – 0403 634 459