GHPS IS COMMITTED TO CHILD SAFETY

Learning Today. Leading Tomorrow.

Principal’s Report

A very warm welcome to everyone for 2022 and I hope you had a wonderful break and were able to spend quality time with your family and friends. It gives me great pleasure to especially welcome the new Preps to the school community, and the opportunity to see people face to face. As we start the new school year, we are part of history in the making by celebrating the 150th anniversary of the 1872 Education Act which has enabled more children to access a fantastic public education.

Please also re/read Sunday’s Compass Welcome which reminds everyone of how we can all keep as safe as possible at school with particular reference to Victoria’s Back-To-School plan. The plan maintains the importance of the 3Vs: Ventilation, Vaccination and Vital COVIDSafe steps and introduces some new measures. Continue with the Rapid antigen testing for the next 3 weeks of Term 1 2022. We are recommending that each parent test their child each Monday and Wednesday before coming to school. All students and staff who return a positive result from a rapid antigen test should also follow the latest advice at https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/rapid-antigen-tests.

Wearing facemasks Please ensure that if your child is in Grade 3-6 that they wear a face mask when indoors at school or at an OSHC program. For students in Prep to Grade 2 it is strongly recommended that your child wear a face mask indoors at school or an OSHC program.

Ventilation All classrooms have been provided with information promoting airflow in our school.

Punctuality In starting this year, we are striving to develop even stronger teacher/student connections in each classroom so would like everyone to be aware that the classroom doors will now be open as of 8.50am. We have trialled it this week and have reflected on the smooth start it has provided students and teachers, so will proceed with this change. The bell is ringing at 8.50am and students are able to enter the classroom to get settled and organised for the start of teaching at 9am.

Attendance All students are expected to come to school every day that they are well, and school is open to students. If students can’t come, parents must provide an explanation for their child’s absence to office on the day of the absence. Students should arrive at each class ON TIME and ready to learn. Parents need to assist their child to be punctual by developing time bound routines with their child, both in the evening to get prepared for the next day, and in the morning. This includes a good bedtime routine and sensible time for going to sleep. This will create the very best opportunities for each child to learn and access vital learning and instruction time. It has been great to see the students in grades Prep – 6 settled into class so happily. Thank you in anticipation for your support.

2022 Recess and Lunch times

To enable one hour sessions of learning to take place in Numeracy, Literacy and Specialist classes (Art, Music/Japanese, PE, Science or Library) the daily organisation for each year level will be:

· Session 1: 9-11am and may include brain food

· 11-11.30am Snack time

· Session 2: 11.30-1.30pm

· Supervised eating of lunch 1.30-1.45 and 1.45-2.30pm for lunch playtime

· Session 3: 2.30-3.30pm

Grade Level Information Sessions and Term Newsletters

On Tuesday 8 February, each Grade level will hold an information session for parents to attend online at 5pm.

Presentations will provide valuable and key details to support your child’s learning this year and there will be an opportunity to meet and hear from each of the team members and ask any questions about your child’s class.

The Specialists will contribute information about their curriculum as well and it is anticipated that session will be approximately 40 minutes in duration with additional times for questions.

Thank you to each Area Leader who will provide families with a link to their child’s class level on Monday 7 February via Compass. The sessions will be recorded and uploaded to the website by Laura during the week.

Take a look at some of our teaching spaces for Science and Music/Japanese this year:

Playing at recess and lunch

As the Capital Works Stage 2 progresses on the East Site, the school is responding to providing alternative play spaces for students on a rotational basis. This will enable students to be supervised at play on both the West and East Site and continue to offer fun things to do at playtime. In conjunction with this, Mr White and teachers are going to divide areas of the oval for both the younger students and older students so that spaces can be more engaging during this time with increased amounts of sport play equipment available. Some ideas for equipment have been provided during classroom community circles and some equipment with which they would like to play

· Cricket set

· Soccer ball

· Tennis equipment

· Skipping rope

Thankyou Grade 2 and we will pass this on to the sports Captains, Luke and Brody who will assist us.

2022 Student Leaders

Leading the School and the Houses at Glen Huntly has been a time honoured tradition and the students who have been invested as School, House, Music, eSmart, Sustainability or Sport Captains this year have the opportunity to work with members of the School to encourage and inspire them to be the best they can be and to build team and school morale. Students have been selected by their peers and staff and the presentation of the badges to the following students took place at the Final 2021 Assembly. Congratulations to:

Steph and Sid – School Captains Luke and Brody – Sport Captains Emily and Genevieve – Music Captains

JP – Bael Anushka – Kurwan Lucas – Garrawang Harper – Pike

Diya and Siddhath – Esmart

Aadhya and Clancy – Sustainability

Staffing

For families new to the school the following outlines the Class organization 2022 and classroom locations. There will be some future changes on the East Site for classroom locations later in the year when the new Gymnasium is finished.

ALL parents will be notified when this will be due to take place.

New occupants 2022	Class or Area	New room Number
Senior Personnel offices Principal: Libby Alessi Acting AP: Cameron White Business Manager: Liz Howard	Next to the Main Foyer	—
Liz Howard Laura James-Clark	Main Foyer	—
Sick bay	Behind office
New Staff Lounge	Downstairs off learning Street	3
East Learning Support Room/keyboard/guitar/lessons	End of learning Street	1
PLC teacher planning/chess club		2
Ms Meagan Atkins	PE	5
Mrs Melinda Oldham	Science room/TLI	4
Ms Mikaela Ristos	Year 5/6R	6
Ms Becky Broxham	Year 5/6B	7
Mrs Shannan Fox /Mr David Jenkins	Year 5/6FJ	8
Mr David Jenkins	Music & Japanese	9
Ms Kamila Krauze	Year 3K	10
Ms Marie Kasambalis Year 3	Year 3M	11
Mr Callum Swanson	Year 4S	14
Mrs Ivana Attwood	Year 4A	15
Mrs Yasmin Moran	Year 2M	16
Mrs Eugenia Sassos	Year 2S	17
West site learning support room	Learning Support	18
Ms Ashleigh Smart	Prep S	19
Ms Zoe Heath	Prep H	20
Ruth Kinyua-Smyth Library nth end	Tree House Reading	21
Mrs Lexie Boomsma Lisa Oliver	Butterfly House EAL Butterfly House Uniform Shop	22
Library	Library	23
Ms Claire Piscioneri/Ms Justine de Bruyn	Year 1PB	25
Ms Carly Draper	Year 1D	26
Ms Justine de Bruyn	Art room	27
Activity Centre Their Care after care		28
Laura James-Clark Ruth Kinyua-Smyth Tanya Matthews Bindu Ayyala Lisa Oliver Cheng Qian	Student and Classroom support
Before school tennis lessons	West site

Glen Huntly Parents Association (GPA)

I would like to encourage any parents interested in getting involved in the GPA to do so. Whether you can attend a meeting or would be able to sign up to our official GPA mailing list, it’s a wonderful way to be involved at the school. The first meeting will be on Friday 25 February at 9.05am online. If you would like any more information, please go to: https://www.glenhuntlyps.vic.edu.au/gpa-glen-huntly-parents-association/

I look forward to seeing you there.

Finance & School Council Meeting

The first meeting for the year will be held on Monday 21 February 2022 at 6.30pm and 7pm respectively online. Please keep an eye out for the call for Nominations of the 2022 School Council, which will take place later this month. There will be a number of Parent Vacancies this year that we need filled.

Before and After School Care- Activities Centre West Site

The Before and After School Care program at GHPS is a Licensed Out of Hours Care facility with an accredited program and operated by TheirCare. I would like to welcome back the Coordinator: Lianna and staff to the school year and thank them for providing the excellent holiday program over the break. If your child needs supervision at the following times due to parents or carers working, study, attending appointments or have other commitments, enroll online at: www.theircare.com.au

The program operates every school day from 7am – 8.45am and from 3.30 – 6.30pm (Wednesdays for Preps during Feb as well)

Bicycle Helmets

A reminder to parents and children that school policy and Victorian Law requires all children who wish to ride a bicycle to and from school, must wear a safety helmet approved by the Australian Safety Association.

Supervision of Pupils Before / After School

The school grounds are supervised by teachers between 8.45 and 9.00am and children may be left by parents from 8.45am onwards and supervised at 3.30 to 3.45pm after school. Please be prompt in collecting your child following dismissal of school, as the grounds are unsupervised before and after the above mentioned times. This also assists with the After School Program in the Activities Centre as children are unable to play outside until the others have vacated the grounds.

The following procedures will apply after 3.45pm for any child not collected by this time:

1. Children who are already permanently booked into the Aftercare program will go directly to Aftercare at 3.30pm.

2. After 3.45pm children will be placed in the school’s Aftercare program.

(N.B. You will be charged at the applicable Aftercare rates if your child is placed in Aftercare).

Parents are urged to make any necessary alternative arrangements for the collection of their children and to notify the school accordingly. It is essential also that parents provide reliable Emergency Contacts to avoid unnecessary distress to their children.

Children Leaving School Prior to Dismissal Time

A reminder to parents that Government Law requires all children to attend school between given hours of 9.00am – 3. 30pm.Should a parent wish to take his/her child(ren) from school before 3.30pm, then that parent should seek permission from the Principal.

Parents, please either write a note or telephone to advise of the date, the time you wish to collect your child(ren), the reason for your request and the name of the person who will be collecting the child if it is not yourself. In the interest of children’s safety, please advise the office (West Site: Class Teacher) upon your arrival to collect and sign out your child(ren).

Cars and Safety Reminder

Parents are not permitted to drive vehicles into the East or West Sites of the school grounds when bringing their children to or collecting them from school. It is extremely dangerous as it creates a traffic hazard in Grange Road for staff trying to enter or leave the premises. The only exception is for parents of children who are not mobile. In these circumstances parents are permitted to park their vehicle in the marked Visitor’s car park at the end of the driveway. If parents feel that it is too dangerous to park in Grange Road, they are advised that there is a gate in the laneway leading from Munro Avenue and another gate at the southern fence leading from Lyons Street.

Parents are also required not to park across the driveways of neighbouring houses or on the school crossing in Garden Avenue. It is a parking infringement and as such, offenders may be fined. Two drop off/pick up zones have been provided in Garden Avenue via signs. These areas are situated on the school side of Garden Avenue between the corner of Grange Road and the school crossing and between the school crossing and the lane.

Parents using the drop off/pick up zones (see signs for times) should stop their cars and allow their children to alight or get into the car, then drive off. Please do not park across the crossing as this is a dangerous and illegal practice.

40KM Signage & Pedestrian Lights

The electronic 40km signs are an important safety measure on Grange Road. This highly visible signage further serves as a prompt for motorists to address the road safety issue to lower the speed when driving past our school.

Please travel safely at all times. It is very important that families talk to their children about the importance of using the pedestrian lights to cross Grange Rd if not using the bridge.

Student Accident Insurance

The Department of Education (DET) does not provide personal accident insurance for students. Parents and guardians are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including any transport costs. These costs may be recoverable where an injury is caused by the negligence (carelessness) of the Department, a school council or their employees or volunteers.

Student accident insurance policies are available from some commercial insurers. These cover a range of medical expenses not covered by Medicare or private health insurance. The Department cannot advise parents/guardians on whether to purchase a student accident policy or which policy to purchase. It is recommended that they seek assistance in this matter with their insurance broker or find a suitable personal accident insurer in the Yellow Pages or online.

Reasonable low cost accident insurance policies are available from commercial insurers.

School’s Privacy Policy

Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy. Please take time to remind yourself of our school’s collection notice, found on our website [school’s collection notice]. For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy — information for parents.

SUNSMART POLICY AND DAYS OF EXTREME HEAT

Children in years Prep – 6 must wear a broad brimmed hat.

There are two styles available from the uniform shop, a standard broad brimmed hat and a floppy hat similar to the surf hats. On days when the temperature reaches 33 degrees or above a “Sweat Day” lunch timetable will be implemented. This means that the children will play in their classrooms between 1.30– 2.30pm. Some discretion will occur prevailing weather condition (e.g. hot north wind) regarding the temperature which activates the sweat day timetable and time spent inside particularly with the younger children.

As all classrooms are air-conditioned there is no need for children to have their educational program interrupted by removal from school on extreme hot days.

DEADLINE FOR ARTICLES FOR THE NEWSLETTER IS 2.00PM WEDNESDAY.

STUDENT WELL-BEING

Acting Assistant Principal, Mr Cameron White will co-ordinate this very important student welfare role.

Should parents have any concerns about issues related to their child it is important that they contact their child’s classroom teacher or Mr White.

Class Information Nights: Grades 2-6 and F-1

Parents will be invited to attend the online class information nights for all grades will be on Tuesday 8 February.

Parents will be presented with valuable information from each year level and it is very important that everyone can attend. More information will be updated on Compass.

2022 Little Book Worms (LBW) not just yet

GHPS Little Book Worms will not start back just yet, but we will notify families via COMPASS when we can do so safely.

Enjoy the Year

The dedicated teaching staff at GHPS look forward to celebrating the success of your child’s learning with both you and your child, communicating what progress has been made and what we can do in partnership to further this learning.

Libby Alessi – Principal

Welcome to the Science/STEM Room!

We have kicked off the year with our focus on Chemical Sciences. Students have been learning about The Scientific Method in asking questions, developing a hypothesis, testing a hypothesis and analysing results.

This week, we looked at different types of variables – independent, controlled and dependent variables and how we can conduct the same experiment using variables.

We look forward to sharing many more discoveries this year.

Mrs Oldham and the Year 4-6 Science team

TheirCare News

Draft annual privacy reminder for 2022

Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy.

Please take time to remind yourself of our school’s collection notice, found on our website – Privacy Collection Notice.

For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy — information for parents. This information is also available in ten community languages:

* Amharic

* Arabic

* Dari

* Gujarati

* Mandarin

* Somali

* Sudanese

* Turkish

* Urdu

* Vietnamese.

Calendar

February

Mon 14 Year 3-6 House Swimming

Fee payments and Excursion Permissions and Payments.

All Communication notices regarding excursions will be sent through COMPASS.

Permissions are to be given through COMPASS.

Preferred payment method for Fee payments and Excursions is through COMPASS.

This will allow us to always keep all the correct information available to staff whilst on an excursion.

If you have any questions, please contact the office or see Guide below.

CLICK HERE for Parent’s Guide to Compass

Thank you.

Newsletter #1 February 4, 2022