Newsletter #10 June 28th 2024
GHPS IS COMMITTED TO CHILD SAFETY
Learning Today. Leading Tomorrow.
Dear GHPS Families,
As we near the end of Term 2, I wanted to take a moment to thank all the staff, students, and families for a successful term of learning and growth.
Thank you for your ongoing partnership, it is through our open communication and support for each other that we are able to ensure each child’s needs are being met. The staff at GHPS love what we do, and your thanks and appreciation are warmly received.
I am reflecting on all the opportunities our students have enjoyed over the past eleven weeks. Here are just some of the highlights of term 2;
- ANZAC day service
- Mother’s Day Stall
- Japanese Cultural day
- School cross country
- Education week open Night
- Their care community breakfast
- Milo’s birthday party in prep
- Weekly cooking lessons
- Prep excursion to the farm
- Grade 1 excursion to Scienceworks
- Grade 6 excursion to the Lume
- 4/5 coding incursion
- 5/6 Lightening premiership day
- Jump Rope for Heart
- 2/3 Australian animals’ incursion
- Pizza lunch
- Hockey incursion
- Creation of the Zen Zone
Semester 1 Reports
Student reports will be shared with parents via Compass on Friday 28th June. We encourage parents to read and reflect upon your child’s report and celebrate their successes. I would like to thank the teachers for the huge amount of thought and work that has gone into providing these reports.
Prep Enrolments for 2025
Just in case you missed it, if there are any families out there with siblings set to start school in 2025 and you still haven’t completed and lodged an enrolment form, please do so before Friday 26th July.
It is extremely helpful to us in planning for next year, as knowing our guaranteed enrolments can assist in possibly offering places to other families who have applied for a position.
Annual Implementation Mid-Year Review
Earlier this month we were joined by our Senior Education Improvement Leader, Kevin Murphy, as an opportunity to review our progress in semester 1 aligned to our Annual Implementation Plan. We addressed our Key Improvement Strategies and associated actions and outcomes that we were striving for in our work this year.
It was a really great opportunity to celebrate our success so far this year whilst also launch into some discussion around what the focus might be for the remainder of the year.
At GHPS, we pride ourselves on fostering a welcoming and inclusive environment for our students.
One of our initiatives is the soft start in the mornings, from 8:50 am to 9:00 am. This routine, allows all students to enter their classroom when the bell rings at 8.50, put away their belongings, take out a book and read quietly until 9.00.
Our teachers have found that students are calm and ready to then begin their day of learning from 9. An added bonus it also spares everyone from the discomfort of frosty cold mornings spent lining up outdoors.
We thank you for getting your child to school on time to optimise their learning opportunities.
CAMPS, SPORTS, AND EXCURSIONS FUND (CSEF)
The Government assisted Fund provides payments for eligible students to attend camps, sports, incursions, and excursions ($150 per child).
Applications for the Governments ‘CSEF Fund’ can be accessed by filling in the application form and returning it to the office with a copy of your current Health Care Card. Families holding a valid means-tested concession card or temporary foster parents are eligible to apply) i.e. a Centrelink Health Care Card or Pension Concession Card or Veteran Affairs Gold Card.
For more information, visit:
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/camps-sports-and-excursions-fund/policy
https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/camps-sports-and-excursions-fund/resources
Zen Zone
We are thrilled to announce the opening of our new wellbeing area on the senior campus, the Zen Zone, located near the staff room in the Learning Street. This wonderful new space was named by our students, who voted for their favourite name, and “Zen Zone” emerged as the most popular choice.
The Zen Zone is a tranquil, welcoming place designed to help students relax and recharge. It features cozy bean bags, comfortable couches, and soft music to create a soothing atmosphere. Students can also engage in mindfulness activities, such as colouring, to help them unwind and focus.
The Zen Zone is open to all students during recess and lunchtime. Whether they need a moment to rest, reset, or simply enjoy some quiet time to themselves, this space is available to support their wellbeing. Our aim is to provide a peaceful environment where students can take a break from their busy school day and return to their classes feeling refreshed and ready to learn.
We invite all students to visit the Zen Zone and experience the calming benefits of this special space. We are proud to offer this new resource to our school community and look forward to seeing it become a beloved part of Glen Huntly Primary School.
Working Bee
Last Sunday morning, our school community came together for a highly successful working bee. With over 34 families in attendance, it was a wonderful demonstration of the community spirit that makes Glen Huntly Primary School so special.
The event was a hive of activity, with families, members of the community and staff members working across both campuses. Young and old were pitching in to help improve our school grounds. One of the highlights was the planting of new trees donated by Glen Eira Council, which will not only beautify our campus but also provide much-needed shade and a habitat for local wildlife. Our diligent volunteers also cleaned out the drains, ensuring that our school remains safe and free from flooding during the rainy season.
In addition to this, there was extensive weeding, making our gardens look tidy and well-maintained. The garden and chicken sheds were cleaned out, creating more storage space, and making it easier for us to find and use our equipment. Finally, a significant amount of tan bark was spread out across the playground areas, providing a safer and more attractive play environment for our students.
The success of this event is a testament to the incredible support and dedication of our school community. We are deeply grateful to everyone who took part and contributed their time and effort. Thank you for helping to make Glen Huntly Primary School a better place for all our students!
Happy and Safe Holidays
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our staff for an amazing term. It is such a privilege to work alongside a team who are so passionate and diligent when it comes to providing educational excellence for our students.
Wishing you all a wonderful winter break. We hope that it is an opportunity for a rest and reset, ready for all the wonderful things that are planned for Semester 2 at GHPS.
I look forward to welcoming all students back to school on Monday 15th July.
Nerida Burns Cameron White
Congratulations to the following students who received a ‘Student of the Week’ award.
Christian 0A – For trying his hardest to brainstorm adjectives when describing nouns. It was great to see you sounding out these adjectives when writing them!
Sadvik 0B – For the incredible improvement you’ve made with sounding out CVC words. You worked hard to learn the digraph CH and can read words like ‘chop’ and ‘rich’. Keep up the great work, reading rockstar!
Atticus 0C – For the pride you have shown while practising your skipping skills over the last few weeks. You did an amazing job at Jump Rope for Heart. It was lovely to see the big smile on your face. Excellent work Skipping Superstar!
Jaasritha 1A – For being a wonderful and happy member of 1A. You always bring a warm smile to the classroom, are willing to help your peers and show kindness and respect. You are a star!
Raywatt 1B – For showing incredible resilience and pride by embracing a growth mindset as you prepare for your exciting journey to Indonesia. We love how you’ve kept your head held high, focusing on the new adventures and friendships ahead. GHPS will miss you dearly, and we’ll all be cheering you on from here! P.S I hope Carlton wins tonight!!
Sophia 2C – For always embracing your lively personality through your writing and presentation tasks. Your ability to instantly hook your audience’s attention and use descriptive and engaging words is truly remarkable. Your vibrant energy shines through in every task, making your work both enjoyable and memorable. Keep up the fantastic work!
Queiva 3A – for being a kind, friendly and helpful member of 2/3A. We will all miss you when you return home! (especially your daily sneezes)
Diandra 3B – For being an awesome member of 2/3B class this year! You are always so helpful, and it is amazing to see your face light up with excitement when you share your amazing thoughts and ideas. We hope you have a happy and safe journey back home to Indonesia! We will miss you!!
Kanishk 5A – For demonstrating respect and kindness while working with your prep buddy during Jump Rope For Heart. Thank you for setting such a great example for our younger students!
Albert 5B – For your outstanding commitment to personal growth and improved attitude towards your learning. Keep up the great work and continue to strive for excellence!
Sport News
It’s been a fun filled week with Jump Rope for Heart on Thursday! All students took part in various skipping activities, watched a heart health video, did some loving heart yoga and some mindfulness heart colouring in. Well done to everyone in the whole school! Over the last 5 weeks it has been amazing to watch all students’ skills and confidence grow in skipping.
Congratulations to Thalia T, Skyla and Suria for being the top money raisers for the Heart Foundation. Well done to the following students for also raising money – Daphne, Indie, Sully, Rhea, Adam, Harvey, Henry D, Hera, Akhilesh, Hannah and Yashas.
Lightning Premiership
Congratulations to all the year 5/6 students who participated in Lightning Premiership Winter Sports day on Friday 14th June against their local network schools.
Teams competed in T-ball, Soccer and Netball.
Well done to all of the students and teams who competed all day long- it was a big day, requiring a lot of physical energy. They demonstrated all of our school values throughout the day and should be proud of their achievements. It was an action-packed day, resulting in all the GHPS students showing their sporting abilities, teamwork skills and qualities and how to be a good sport when facing challenges on the day.
Well done to the girls T-ball team who have made it through to the Division, being held Thursday 30th July in Cheltenham.
Hockey Incursion
The year 2-6 students have enjoyed Hockey Melbourne incursion this week as part of the sporting schools funding. They learnt basic hockey skills and played games like ‘Hockey Octopus’ and ‘Popcorn’.
A big thank you to Josh the coach!
Run Club
A huge thank you and congratulations to all students who have come to Run Club this term.
We have been alternating working on our running stamina and faster paced running – sprinting.
We will continue Run Club every Wednesday morning in the gym at 8:40am next term, so I look forward to seeing you all there.
Sarah Price PE/Sport
Japanese News
On Thursday, the Grade 6s were treated to an end of semester celebration of ramen making and eating, as it was their final Japanese lesson for the year.
Here is what they thought of the experience!
Sahara: When I heard we might be having ramen, I was really surprised and excited that Tran Sensei would do that for us. I don’t usually like ramen but when I tried it was the best thing I have ever tasted in my whole entire life. I really enjoyed helping make it in the kitchen, but I think everyone can agree the best part was eating it! 🍜
Johan: loved the Ramen Celebration because I love to eat new varieties of food. I absolutely loved the noodles because they were very soft. I also learned that Ramen was eaten long ago as well! Overall, I was absolutely delighted by it and I will never forget this celebration!
Javin: Ultimately, the ramen was superb, and the varieties we had were absolutely splendid. The Shoyu was sweet and salty, with a touch of bitterness. The Miso was warm and made me fuzzy inside. I really loved the noodles and it was surprisingly good, because woolies doesn’t usually do well with traditional foods. Overall it was really yummy.
Rhea: The Ramen was stellar. We were all flustered to get such an exceptional meal. I had never had ramen before, but as soon as I tried it, I was stunned. I cannot believe that Tran sensei went out of her way to make our last day of primary school Japanese memorable. I will definitely remember this day with fondness.
Twisha: Ok so I was a bit nervous when the ramen was being made. I was really scared if I would like it or not. When I ate that stuff “BOOM!” my mind was blown. That was one of the best foods I have ever eaten! I loved the fact that Tran Sensai let us have ramen and was willing to spend her time trying to make our last year of Japanese class I primary worth it. Thank you! 🍜
Library News
A big thank you to everyone who came along and supported our annual Book Fair in May. We sold just over $2,800 of books during the week which allowed us to purchase $800 of new books for our library. Well done everyone!!
GPA Update
GHPS Community Wide Event
Thank you to all of the attendees of the two meetings we held on Tuesday.
We are looking for a fun event that includes the wider community, thereby bringing in outside funds and promoting our school. We discussed ideas, interest, and high-level feasibility of running fetes, film nights, foodie nights and market days.
Our next step is to form a committee and have our first planning meeting in Week 2 of Term 3 for a market day event to be held early in Term 4 of this year.
Details to follow. Feel free to reach out with expressions of interest in the meantime, by emailing ghpsgpa@gmail.com
Pizza Lunch
Thank you to Sam and the team at Toscana Pizza Murrumbeena for supplying the pizzas for our State Schools Relief Fundraiser special lunch. They were delicious!!
A big thank you to our GPA helpers Andy (Daphne 0C), Claire (Freddie 0B), Pooja (Yadvi 2A, Milan 0C) Hayley (Harvey 5B, Adam 3B) and Fiona (Daniel 5C) for making it happen.
433 pieces of pizza ordered and a huge $653.10 raised for State School Relief – awesome effort!
Volunteer
Volunteer Opportunities, refer to SignUp links on GHPS website:
Term 3 dates to remember
– GPA Meeting on Friday 26th July
– Kids Disco on Friday 16th August
– Bunnings BBQ on Sunday 18th August.
TheirCare News
Please CLICK HERE for the End of Term 2 Report & Photos.
GHPS Facebook
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Calendar
TERM 3
July
Mon 15 Term 3 commences
August
Wed 7 House Athletics
Tue 13 Science Incursion
Mon 19 Book Week begins
Fri 23 Magician & Book Parade
Tue 27 Curriculum Day
September
Mon 2 School Concert – Robert Blackwood Hall
Tue 3 Family Life Education Yr 4-6
Thu 5 Yr 6 Graduation Photos
Fri 6 Responsible Pet Ownership
Fri 6 District Athletics
Tue 10 Family Life Education Yr 4-6
Tue 17 Family Life Education Yr 4-6
Fri 20 End of Term 3 (Early Dismissal 2.30pm)
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.