GG Term 3 2025 Newsletter

principal's message

Dear Parents and Carers,

Welcome to the third edition of Pinnacle College’s 2025 newsletter. We have experienced another fulfilling term here at Golden Grove. Please find below some of the term’s key highlights. 

Harmony Cup

Congratulations to our wonderful students who represented Pinnacle College at the Harmony Cup on the Gold Coast in Week 6. Selected students from Years 5 to 8 took part in this exciting inter-school event, displaying impressive teamwork, sportsmanship, and a strong sense of school spirit. A sincere thank you to everyone involved in making this opportunity possible.

Language Festival

Our Language Festival, held on the 27th of August, was a vibrant celebration of cultural diversity and language learning. The event featured a range of engaging activities and beautifully presented cultural stalls, highlighting the richness of the Arabic and Turkish languages. It was a wonderful opportunity for students and parents to connect, explore, and appreciate the diverse cultural backgrounds within our school community. 

Book Week Parade

Book Week was a joyful celebration of literacy and imagination. The parade brought our campus to life with colourful costumes, laughter, and enthusiasm. It was a fantastic way to foster a love of reading in our school community. Thank you to everyone who participated and supported this wonderful day.

SACE Information Night

Our SACE Information Night was a helpful session for students and families preparing for the senior years. It provided clear guidance on subject selection, pathways, and study expectations. Thank you to all the staff who supported this important event.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Parent Teacher Interviews continue to be a vital part of building strong home-school partnerships. We are grateful to our teaching staff for their dedication and thorough preparation. The positive conversations and shared commitment to learning were truly encouraging. Thank you to all families for your active participation.

Soup Initiative

This term, our Community Engagement Department launched a heartwarming Soup Initiative. It brought the staff together to share a warm meal and a stronger sense of community. Beyond the delicious soups, the event fostered connection and compassion. Thank you to all who supported this meaningful initiative.

Sports Carnival

Thank you to all students and staff for making this year’s Sports Carnival a great success. The day was full of energy, participation, and school spirit. It was wonderful to see students giving their best and encouraging one another.Well done to everyone involved!

R U OK Day

Are you Ok day was celebrated on 11th of September embracing the important message of “R U OK.” It was inspiring to see our community come together to support one another by checking in with friends, family and colleagues. I am grateful to our staff and students for their participation, from wearing yellow and making donations to adding affirmations on our kindness tree. Thank you all for fostering a supportive environment where everyone feels valued and heard.

Traffic Safety

Please be mindful of all traffic and parking rules around the school. Drive carefully and be respectful of our school community during the pick-up and drop-off times. Your cooperation helps to ensure the safety of our students and maintain good relation with those living nearby.

Thank you for your continued support throughout the term. We look forward to more achievements and celebrations in the term ahead.

Until next time,

Warm Regards,
Gokhan Kot
GG & GP Campus Principal

primary coordinator

Dear Parents/Caregivers, 

I hope you have been doing well. 

This term has been about connection, culture, and community!

Our students and staff have had a fantastic time engaging in a range of activities celebrating various events such as, Jeans for Genes, Book Week, R U OK? Day 2025, Languages Week, and our thriving Friday Clubs – all beautifully linked to our school value of Diversity.

Celebrating ‘R U OK?’ Day reminded us of the importance of kindness, connection, and checking in with one another. Students participated in various discussions and creative activities with the R U OK? Day passports and our very own kindness tree. A very special thank you to Miss Emily, Ms Amalina and Mrs H for organising the day with our SRCs. Collectively, we have helped build empathy and support amongst each other.

During Languages Week, our school came alive with colour, music, and culture! Each class explored different languages and traditions from around the world and each other. We celebrated the many languages spoken in our school community, embracing the idea that our differences make us stronger. A very special thank you to our LOTE Department for their arrangements.

It has been fantastic to see what students have been creating and finishing up in their Friday Clubs. From our high achieving Art Club, Drama Club, Science Club, Scrapbooking to PE Club and more – there was something for everyone to enjoy and take pride in. Thank you to our lovely Teachers and SSOs who have dedicated their time in planning and running the Clubs!

It’s been a term full of learning, laughter, and growing together. We are so proud of our students for showing empathy, curiosity, and teamwork in everything they do. Here’s to celebrating diversity, wellbeing, and the joy of belonging at our school!

Have a safe, blessed and restful holiday!

Kind Regards,
Mrs Sawafta Natasha 

Primary Coordinator

secondary coordinators

Term 3 has been a very busy and exciting time for our secondary students. With so many events, activities and assessments taking place, the weeks have been full and lively. Students have been working hard to prepare for their academic assessments, while also taking part in a wide range of school events, such as Science week, and various co-curricular opportunities. These experiences have not only supported their learning but also helped them develop important skills such as teamwork, organisation and confidence. Although the pace has been very demanding at times, it has been wonderful to see students rise to the challenge and make the most of every opportunity. This busy term has also strengthened the sense of community across the school, with students, teachers and families all contributing to its success.

While this term draws to a close, it is clear that our students have earned a well-deserved break. The holidays provide an important opportunity for them to rest, recharge and reflect on all they have achieved. Taking this time to recover is essential, as it allows them to return refreshed and ready to approach the final term of the year with energy and focus, especially since the last term brings its own set of challenges.  

Thank you kindly,

Dr Genine Meredith & Mrs Shyamali Jayasena

Secondary Coordinators 

primary teaching & learning coordinators

Term 3 has been buzzing with exciting opportunities for our students to stretch their minds and celebrate their love of learning.

Firstly, congratulations to all students who participated in the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee. This national competition challenges students' spelling and vocabulary skills, and we were proud to see our students step up with enthusiasm and confidence. Their preparation, focus, and resilience were impressive!

Our students have also been involved in the ICAS assessments across a range of subjects including English, Mathematics, Science, and Digital Technologies. These optional, academic tests provide valuable insight into students' strengths and help us extend learners striving for academic excellence. Well done to all participants for giving it their best effort.

And of course, Book Week was a wonderful celebration of reading and storytelling! With this year’s theme, “Book an Adventure,” students and staff alike embraced the joy of books through dress-ups, shared reading sessions, author visits, and creative activities across all year levels. A special thank you to our library team and teachers for making it such a memorable week.

It’s been a joy to see students engaging so positively in all these opportunities. Their growth, curiosity, and love for learning continue to shine through.

Kind Regards,

Mrs Shaneel Wall, Head of Primary Teaching and Learning

Mrs Chloe Rees, Teaching and Learning Coordinator - Golden Grove

secondary department updates

Art & Technology Department

Term 3 went like a blizzard for Art and Technology students full of making, designing and coding. Year 7 Art students worked on Cultural Masks while Year 8 Art students learned about Traditional Islamic Art and Calligraphy. Year 9 Art class have been busy drawing with graphite and charcoal to prime their art skills and Year 10s explored the diversity of First Nations Artist Collaborations. Year 7 Technology students have been busy designing and building their own robots using LEGO EV3 kits whilst preparing for the upcoming Sumo Bot Challenge. Year 8s explored CGI techniques and stop motion animation. Using HTML and CSS, Year 9 students designed their own web-pages on global issues. We wish them all the best in their well-deserved break!

Dr Selen Morkoc

English Department

Greetings Pinnacle College Community,

It’s been another action-packed term in the English Department, and we’re excited to share some highlights with you!

Year 10 YouDebate Experience

In week 7 our Year 10 team competed live in Sydney for YouDebate. The team, made up of Elaha, Ragd, and Anummta, worked incredibly hard to prepare their own speeches and showed fantastic skills in rebutting some very tough competition.

They won two out of three rounds, and although they didn’t place in the finals, they ranked among the top five highest-scoring teams overall. This is a HUGE achievement amongst a very competitive competition.

We also had Nasiba representing us in the public speaking event, where she delivered both a prepared speech and an impromptu response. While she didn’t win, it was an amazing accomplishment to stand out in such a challenging field of competitors.

The Sydney round also gave our students the chance to experience some of the city’s iconic landmarks, and a short cruise, making it a valuable and memorable trip.

I'd like the time to also thank Feyza Gulhan for her hard work, and amazing support for myself and the girls. And to also thank Amity, and the AUF for their generous hospitality. 

Looking ahead to 2026, YouDebate will be running more competitions across Sydney, with opportunities for both school and community teams to get involved. There will be online debates for Years 7-9, as well as the live Sydney round for Year 10 students. If you have students that are interested, we encourage you to consider joining one of our teams next year to be part of these exciting competitions!

Book Week Celebrations

We are especially proud to have had more involvement than ever before in Book Week celebrations, with activities and displays that highlighted the power of stories to bring us together.

A massive thank you to everyone in the English Department who worked so hard to make the week enchanting— a team effort that brought the magic of reading to life.

PAT Testing Complete
We’re pleased to report that PAT (Progressive Achievement Tests) Reading testing for Years 7–10 at both Elizabeth East and Golden Grove campuses has been successfully completed. We look forward to analysing this valuable data to enhance student learning, particularly in developing literacy skills and understanding the four key question types in the PAT Reading test. This insight will guide us in tailoring instruction to meet the unique needs of each student and further support their growth.

As always, we are proud of the achievements of our students and staff and look forward to continuing to foster a vibrant, engaging, and inspiring English learning environment.

Warm regards,
Carmine Guglielmucci

Head of English Department, Pinnacle College – Golden Grove Campus

Health & Physical Education Department

In our Health and Physical Education department we have been working hard to educate our students in the following Health topics this term: Nutrition, Drug Education, Health Campaigns, Valuing Diversity & Gender-Based learning which is specific to Year 10. Our students will either complete a test or an assignment for these topics. In Physical Education our students have been learning the sports of Soccer and Athletics in preparation for Sports Day.

Humanities Department

The Year 8 Humanities students have begun studying the topic of Coastal Change and Management in Geography. Students have been using Australia’s diverse coastline as a basis for a case study. With the current concern of algae bloom, students have been analysing the cause and effects of the algae bloom while also considering the long term effects which this poses on the coastlines ecosystem.

LOTE - Arabic & Turkish Department

Dear Parents,
السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Term 3 was a very busy and exciting term for the Arabic Department, with students actively participating in a variety of activities. Our Year 9 students went on an excursion to Rundle Mall, where they learnt new Arabic vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. The students thoroughly enjoyed the experience and strengthened their language skills through real-life learning.

In addition, this term we celebrated Languages Week. Students enjoyed a vibrant program that combined fun and learning, exploring different cultures and languages while reflecting on the importance of learning another language—especially Arabic.

We would like to sincerely thank all parents and students who contributed to making this event successful and meaningful for our school community.

Mathematics Department

Term 3 has been a busy term for our students. Of particular importance is the conducting of the Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT) for all Year 7-11 students. Students have conducted the PAT tests in their class, allowing teachers to identify areas that need improvement in the cohort. We are confident that the PAT testing will allow our teachers to better understand the needs of the student cohort, improving the quality of mathematics teaching over time.

Religion & Values (RV) Department

Year 10 Wisdom Seekers Shine at RV Competition

In Week 6, our Year 10 team took part in the AUF Wisdom Seekers Presentation Competition held in Sydney. Representing our school with pride were Ragd, Noor and Zebunnisa, who delivered a thoughtful and engaging group presentation on a topic of their choice. The experience was a fantastic opportunity to build confidence, strengthen public speaking skills, and connect with students from across the country.

We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Australian Universal Federation (AUF) and Amity College Prestons Campus for their warm hospitality and for organising such a valuable experience. We are also incredibly grateful to the generous volunteers from our school community who kindly hosted our students during the trip—your support made this opportunity possible and truly memorable.

Looking ahead to 2026, we hope to see even more of our students step up and take part in these inspiring events that celebrate youth voice, teamwork, and leadership.

“A big thank you to the organisers, staff, and our incredible Year 10 students who represented the school at the Wisdom Speaker RV Competition in Sydney. A fantastic experience all around!”

By Noor F.

Science Department

Year 12 Physics – UniSA Excursion and Exam Preparation

In Week 7, our Year 12 Physics students attended an excursion to UniSA, where they engaged in a series of advanced experiments on Electromagnetism and Light. Using a Teltron tube, they determined the charge-to-mass ratio of an electron and explored the Hall effect, gaining first-hand insight into the foundations of modern physics. The Light experiments included investigating interference phenomena through discharge tubes and 2D interference patterns, as well as an innovative activity measuring the thickness of a strand of hair using interference techniques. The day gave students valuable exposure to university-level facilities and equipment, providing an enriching and inspiring experience that deepened their understanding of physics in real-world applications.

Alongside the excursion, our Year 12s have been attending weekly after-school revision classes, consolidating key concepts from Term 1 in preparation for the SACE external examination. Attendance has been excellent, with students showing real commitment and determination to achieve their best. We wish all our students continued success in their studies and every confidence as they progress towards their final examinations.

***

Year 7A students have been learning about classification in Science, exploring how and why we group living things in the  world around us. As part of this unit, they have been investigating the differences between vertebrates and invertebrates. To deepen their understanding, students were given a fish and a prawn to examine through dissection. This hands-on task focused on identifying the key features of each animal and comparing an endoskeleton with an exoskeleton. By stepping out of the textbook and engaging in real biological investigation, students experienced a meaningful, applied learning opportunity that mirrors the work of professional scientists.

“To get a better understanding of the classification of animals, to be more specific, vertebrates and invertebrates, we dissected fish and prawns. We observed the exoskeleton and the endoskeleton. We learned the many different roles of the backbone in these animals. At first, the fish had a very strong smell, which made it a little challenging to dissect, but soon we were able to overcome this by examining the fish and prawn closely, which made us forget about the smell. Overall it was a great experience  and we had a great time”

By: Aliza, Muskaan, Dilek

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inclusive education coordinators

Dear Families,

We hope this message finds you well. 

In Week 7 of this term, we celebrated Teacher Aide Appreciation Week. This was a wonderful opportunity to recognise and thank our amazing Learning Support Officers across our Primary and Secondary teams: Laura, Amy, Nicole, Leticia, Lesley, Sofia, Thilini, and Elsa.

We are deeply grateful for their dedication, care, and the vital role they play each day in supporting students’ learning and wellbeing across our school community.

With Parent Teacher Interviews now concluded, we have also been continuing our collaboration with families and students to support progress towards individual goals as part of students’ Individual Learning Plans. We encourage you to continue communication with your child’s teachers as we move into Term 4, so that together we can continue monitoring their progress as part of their learning journey this year.

Thank you for your ongoing partnership and support! It makes a real difference in the lives of our students.

Kerry Sangermano & Gianna Palumbo 

Inclusive Education Coordinators (Primary & Secondary)

school counsellors

We would like to extend a big thank you to the students who participated in R U OK? Day this term. We saw students wearing yellow, adding messages of kindness to our trees, demonstrating kindness to their peers, engaging with classroom activities and engaging with our assemblies. We encourage our whole community to embrace the message of R U OK? today and everyday, to check-in with your peers, families and community members.

During term 3 we have also run LEGO groups for select primary students to encourage communication, collaboration and/or friendships at school. I would like to thank all of our students who have participated, for their continued efforts in this space, for braving new challenges, demonstrating a willingness to try new things and for adopting a life-skills mindset to learning in our group. Well done all!

Emily Devitt & Amalina Yahya, School Counsellors

pastoral care

Peer Support Program Continues in Term 3

Our Peer Support Program continued throughout Term 3, with our dedicated Year 10 and 11 Peer Leaders working closely with students in Years 4, 5, and 7. The sessions included a mix of fun and meaningful activities—ranging from art and games to value-based discussions that encouraged teamwork, empathy, and connection.

It was great to see our Peer Leaders step up as positive role models, building relationships and creating a supportive environment across year levels. This term also included RUOK Day, where students reflected on the importance of being aware of both themselves and others. Also a special workshop was delivered by our school counsellors, Amalina and Emily, to support Peer Leaders in having meaningful conversations, activity and recognising when someone might need help.

A big thank you to Amalina and Emily for their guidance and continued support of our Peer Support Program via their workshop.

 We look forward to seeing the program grow even further in Term 4!

primary & secondary sports coordinators

In our sports competitions this term we have had some brand new events and some great success.

A total of 29 students from South Australia were chosen to compete in the Harmony Cup competition. A large number of these students were from Pinnacle College. Congratulations to Aya Hamada, Masangay Swaray, Alia Shama, Mariam Hussein, Moustafa Ghazzawi, Malika Elkordy and Maryem Shama who represented Pinnacle College, Golden Grove campus. The Harmony Cup competition is a National Sports Competition for Islamic students which took place on the Gold Coast.

Our team was runners up in the Basketball Grand Final - well done girls! In Week 2, our Year 9&10 students competed in the Basketball Competition for School Sport SA and were the winning team!

Our Secondary Sports Day took place in Term 3 which was a fantastic display of athlete talent, sportsmanship and house spirit. Congratulations to Torrens who took out the win again. Students who placed 1st or 2nd in an event have qualified for our Zone Track and Field Team which is an excursion early next year. Students have been selected for an event and will compete against other schools.

John Incoll, Primary Sports Coordinator

Bridget Andrews, Secondary Sports Coordinator

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src - primary

This term, our amazing SRC students have been busy making a difference! They rolled up their sleeves to plant trees for International Planting Day and also proudly led our assembly for R U OK? Day. We are so proud of their enthusiasm, leadership, and teamwork!

junior primary

What a busy and exciting term it has been for our Junior Primary students! In Foundation, we have had a very busy term, we have learned about push and pull and even got to make our very own toys! Year 1 have explored the topic of weather, creating our own rain gauges to track rainfall. Year 2 have explored materials and how they can be manipulated. We recycled paper scraps from our classroom and used them to plant seeds! For PE, Year 1 enjoyed Triskills incursions, where the children developed their gymnastics skills and grew in confidence. We also came together to celebrate R U OK? Day and had lots of fun dressing up for Book Week. Well done to the Year 2s for winning the Book Door Competition for their ‘Fox in Socks’ winning entry!

Mrs H, Mrs Abraham and Mrs Rees

middle primary

What an exciting start to Semester 2 it has been for our Middle Primary students!

With preparations for the End of Year Concert now underway and the Premier’s Spelling Bee Competition concluded, there has been plenty of energy and enthusiasm in our classrooms. Congratulations to the following students who participated in the State and Territory rounds of the PM Spelling Bee! Year 3: Zainab Year 4: Abdullah S, Aysima, Owaiba, Karim. We are so proud of their achievements and the way they represented our school.  As we wrap up Term 3, we wish all our students and families a safe and enjoyable holiday break.!

Mrs Sange and Mr Incoll

upper primary

The Year 5s have enjoyed participating in our whole school activities, such as dressing up for Book Week and representing our cultural backgrounds during Languages Week. In HASS and Science, we have been honing our collaboration and research skills by working in small groups to investigate natural disasters, interesting landforms around the world and doing a deep dive into the environmental considerations of Dubai. We particularly enjoyed putting our persuasive writing skills into practise in English and have learnt valuable life skills in Maths, such as how to calculate percentages and work with decimal numbers in varied contexts.

Ms Zeunert and Mrs Sawafta

community engagement

Pinnacle College Community Engagement Update

Dear Pinnacle Families,

What an amazing term of community activities we've shared! Here are the highlights of how our families have connected, celebrated, and given back together.

Celebrating Families

Our Father's Day and Mother's Day celebrations brought families together with special refreshments and meaningful moments. The Father and Son Bowling Night at Bowland Salisbury was particularly successful, with friendly competition and lasting memories made over strikes and pizza. The Parents' Breakfast series throughout the term provided regular opportunities for families to connect before school.

Parent Adventures & Learning

Our parent-only interstate trips to Melbourne and Sydney offered a wonderful break and chance to build friendships among our parent community. The Barossa Chateau visits showcased South Australian culture in a relaxed setting. Our cooking classes remain popular, bringing parents together to share recipes and enjoy each other's company.

Giving Back

On National Tree Planting Day, families worked side by side to contribute to a greener future. Our partnership with ARO continues through our hot food distribution program, where parent volunteers help serve those experiencing homelessness, teaching our community valuable lessons about compassion.

Making a Global Impact

The Ladies Night fundraising event for Gaza showed our community's generosity, raising important funds for humanitarian aid through UNRWA. This special evening demonstrated how our Pinnacle community cares beyond local borders.

Building Connections

Parent Discussion forums have provided a supportive space where families share experiences and parenting strategies, strengthening our school community bonds.

Thank you to all parents who've volunteered and participated. Your involvement makes Pinnacle College truly special!

Warm regards,

Community Engagement Department

Pinnacle College

front office update

library update

WOW, what a busy term in the library. Book Week was fantastic. There is much more to Book Week than just dressing up for a book week parade. The Purpose of Book Week is to introduce, explore and celebrate the joy of reading. Thanks to all the teachers and classes that put a lot of effort into promoting books with the wonderful door designs and promoting reading in the classroom. The parade was a great way for students to dress up as their favourite book character. Thank you to all the parents who put in a lot of effort into the student costumes. 

Premiers Reading Challenge of South Australia has also now been completed. This is a state-run incentive that promotes reading and increases literacy levels. Those students from year 3 and above that have completed the PRC will receive an award later in the year.  Reception, year 1 and 2 complete this as a class, so they will automatically get the award. There are a few secondary girls that have completed the PRC also. Well done, ladies.

Next term – Week 5 will be the last week for students to borrow books. They can return books until week 7 or 8. This provides the library staff to make sure all student library books have been returned for the long break. Please visit the public library for books over the long break. They have more than just books, they will have lots of events for students. Their program will come out later this year. 

Thank you,

Mrs Lisa Preston, Mrs Chantelle Wiles, Ms Tammy Skelton

Your library staff

oshc

This term at OSHC, the children were in charge of shaping our program! Using our special sticky-note wall, they shared their own ideas — and from there, the fun began. Some of their choices included Let’s Be Active, Nature Is Beautiful, and Is It Real or Not Real? where we explored fairies, aliens, and even dreams. It has been wonderful to see their imaginations come alive and their excitement grow as their ideas turned into real activities.

If you would like more information about OSHC Services and how parents can be involved, the website below will give you more details.

www.careforkids.com.au/blog/navigating-outside-school-hours-care-acomprehensive-guide-for-parents?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Regards – Allison

OSHC Coordinator – 0403 634 459