Newsletter #12 July 31, 2026
GHPS IS COMMITTED TO CHILD SAFETY
Learning Today. Leading Tomorrow.
A New Arrival in the Burns Family
On July 17, my son Jess and his wife Emma welcomed the safe arrival of their beautiful daughter, Paige Leonard Burns.
All well and a very excited Nanny has been enjoying lots of special cuddles.
NEW CURRICULUM DAY – the day after the school concert.
This week, School Council approved a Curriculum Day for Tuesday 8 September.
On this day, our staff will be focusing on planning and preparing for Term 4, as well as exploring and implementing the new English Curriculum 2.0. This dedicated time will allow teachers to work collaboratively to analyse student data, plan high-quality learning experiences, and ensure a consistent approach to teaching across the school.
Due to the current industrial action, staff now have only one meeting each week for professional learning. This Curriculum Day provides valuable additional time for collaborative planning and curriculum development, ultimately benefiting all students.
Please note that students will not attend school on Tuesday 8 September. Their Care will be operating a program on the day for families who require care.
NAPLAN 2026
Last week, our Year 3 and Year 5 students received their NAPLAN results. I am delighted to share that Glen Huntly Primary School continues to achieve outstanding results, with our students performing well above Network and Similar Schools across all assessed areas.
These results reflect the dedication and hard work of our students, the expertise and commitment of our teachers, and the ongoing support and encouragement provided by our families. Strong partnerships between home and school play an important role in helping our students thrive, and these results are a wonderful example of what can be achieved when we work together.
While NAPLAN provides just one snapshot of student achievement, it offers valuable information that helps us celebrate our successes, identify areas for growth, and continue to refine our teaching to meet the needs of every learner.
Congratulations to our Year 3 and Year 5 students on their excellent efforts. We are incredibly proud of all they have achieved and thank our staff and families for their continued commitment to ensuring every child has the opportunity to succeed.
| % of students that achieved exceeding or strong | Grade 3 | Similar schools | Local Network schools |
| Reading | 96% | 83% | 82% |
| Writing | 100% | 90% | 89% |
| Spelling | 87% | 79% | 77% |
| Numeracy | 93% | 83% | 82% |
| Grammar & Punctuation | 89% | 76% | 74% |
| % of students that achieved exceeding or strong | Grade 5 | Similar schools | Local Network schools |
| Reading | 94% | 88% | 87% |
| Writing | 97% | 89% | 88% |
| Spelling | 88% | 84% | 82% |
| Numeracy | 100% | 89% | 89% |
| Grammar & Punctuation | 88% | 82% | 81% |
A Night at the Museum
Tickets on sale from August 10th via CompassTix.
SCHOOL DISCO
On Friday August 14 we will hold our annual School Disco. If you would like your child/children to attend, please watch out for the information sent via Compass today.
My thanks to the organising committee for the planning of this favourite event.
Please be Punctual for a smooth start to school
Arriving at school on time gives children the best possible start to their day. Our classrooms begin learning immediately, with every morning commencing with a dedicated phonics or reading session. Missing even a few minutes of this important learning can make it more difficult for students to keep up with new concepts and establish positive learning routines.
Being on time also helps children settle into the classroom, connect with their classmates, and begin the day feeling calm, confident, and ready to learn.
We encourage all families to make every effort to arrive during our soft start between 8:50 am and 9:00 am, so students are organised and prepared when the school day begins.
Your support in establishing punctual attendance makes a significant difference to your child’s learning and success at school.
If you do arrive after 9.00 please log your child’s arrival on the Compass kiosk.
Absences
It is the responsibility of parents and carers to log their child’s absence on Compass whenever they are away from school.
Due to new Department of Education Policy requirements, ALL absences need an explanation to be inputted against your child.
We appreciate your close attention to this matter as any unexplained absences will be followed up monthly by the office staff.
If you have any further questions, please speak with your child’s teacher, or Laura and Pip in the office.
If, however, your child is experiencing school refusal or separation anxiety, please do not hesitate to reach out to Mr White, our Assistant Principal, or Mrs Oldham, our Mental Health, and Well Being leader.
PLANNING FOR 2027
Even though it is the beginning of a new term as a Principal I start to review enrolment numbers along with our current programs and how we can continue to offer what we have with projections for the year ahead. I kindly ask families to notify the school office as soon as possible if your child or family will not be returning to Glen Huntly Primary School next year (excluding our Year 6 students transitioning to secondary school).
Early notification is extremely valuable, as it allows us to accurately plan class structures, staffing, specialist programs, and resource allocation to best meet the needs of our students. When we are unaware that families are leaving, it can significantly impact workforce planning and the organisation of classes, often requiring changes later in the year that could otherwise have been avoided. Your assistance in keeping us informed is greatly appreciated and helps us ensure we are well prepared to provide the best possible learning environment for all students in 2027.
3 Way Conferences
Thank you to our teachers for preparing our students for their 3 way conferences. The feedback received was very positive as the students proudly shared their learning with their family.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Grade 5/6 Body and Relationships July 30 and
100 Days of Prep August 7
House Athletics Grades 3-6- August 5
Prep-2 Athletics- August 11
School Disco- August 14
Book Week Parade- August 27
School Concert- September 7
Curriculum Day- September 8
Nerida Burns and Cameron White
Congratulations to the following students who received a “Student of the Week” award.
Isabelle 0A – For doing a fantastic job learning about place value and showing a great understanding of numbers. We are so proud of how hard you have worked and the effort you put into your learning. Keep up the great work!
Blaise 0B – For demonstrating enthusiasm in phonics and maths, actively participating and showing resilience when giving new things a go. You should be super proud of yourself, Blaise!
Asha 0B – For consistently showing pride in everything she does and bringing a positive, enthusiastic attitude to every part of the school day. She is always asking thoughtful questions to deepen her understanding and confidently shares her wonderful ideas and thinking with her classmates. Your curiosity, confidence, and love of learning make you a fantastic role model. Keep up the amazing work, Asha!
Jasmine 0C – demonstrating expressive descriptive writing in her adjective writing practice. She continues to be creative and works hard to show her ideas. Her creativity shines through. Keep it up Jazzy.
Evie 0C – For thinking of such creative adjectives to describe the queen, penguin and lizard in our writing this week. Keep being a star and following your own powerful ideas.
Jacob 1A – For always trying his best in all learning tasks and showing resilience and perseverance. You have already shown a positive attitude and great determination this term. Well done!
Walden 1A – For asking excellent big wondering questions during reading this week. You showed that asking thoughtful questions helps us become better readers by thinking more deeply about the text, making connections and exploring ideas beyond what is written on the page. Keep up the great work, Walden!
Hashel 1B – For always having a smile on your face and trying your hardest with all tasks. You brighten up our classroom every day.
Tennyson 1B – for showing wonderful improvement in your wellbeing, working hard on your spelling, and putting in fantastic effort in everything you do. Keep it up!
Paris 1C – For always arriving to school with a positive attitude and a smile, making our classroom a happy place to learn.
Amy 1C – For growing in confidence and actively sharing your ideas during class and group discussions. Well done!
Heesha 2A – For your effort and enthusiasm during cooking this week. It was wonderful to see you cutting ingredients and working hard in your team. Well done Sushi Superstar!
Iknoor 2A – For kicking off your persuasive writing with confidence! You took the side of ‘against’, planned strong reasons and backed them up with great supporting details. I can’t wait to see if you can change my mind! Super effort!
Shivaay 2B – For showing fantastic number power in Numeracy this week! You confidently used skip counting by 2s, 5s and 10s to find the total number in each array. Well Done Skip Counting Star!
Skyla 2B – For doing a spin-tacular job presenting her invention project about fidget spinners! She worked brilliantly with her partner, Iknoor, and shared interesting facts about how they were created. What terrific teamwork!
Henry 2C – for starting the new term with positivity and a big boost of confidence! You have shown respect, worked wonderfully with others and made a fantastic effort to build new friendships. Keep shining, teamwork superstar!
Mitchell 2C – For continuously being a confident and hardworking learner who always takes pride in their work! Your brilliant sense of humour and funny stories—with their famous “blah, blah, blah” endings—bring so much joy to our classroom. Keep shining superstar!
Shivansh 2B – For creating a think-tastic think board in numeracy! You showed your equation using different strategies and proved there is more than one way to solve a maths problem. Way to go Multiplication Master!
Eddie 3A – For making such a smooth and positive transition back to our school. You have settled into 3A beautifully, and we love having you as part of our class!
Tamim 3A – For his outstanding haiku poem about autumn that used sensory language. Well done, Tamim!
Jett 3B – For enthusiasm, confidence and willingness to embrace new challenges. Your passion for poetry has shone. Thank you for memorising and confidently reciting a soccer poem to both Year 3 classes; generously helping others develop their digital technology skills and eagerly tackling maths problems. Well Done!
Eleanor 3B – For consistently demonstrating all of our school values through her kindness, outstanding work organisation, and dedication to her work. She approaches all writing task with creativity, imagination, and care. Today, she wrote a deeply beautiful sensory/shape poem about a swan, using vivid, powerful language. Well Done!
Zoe 4A – For persisting with your extension maths task when it became more challenging. Your positive attitude, determination, and willingness to keep trying showed great resilience and helped deepen your understanding. Well done!
Grace 4A – For the amazing cinquain poem you wrote about a woodland biome. Your creative word choices and vivid descriptions painted a wonderful picture of the environment and showcased your writing skills. Well done!
Shivansh 4B – You are receiving this award for consistently demonstrating all of our school values. Every morning, you arrive calm, ready to learn, and greet everyone with a beaming smile and a cheerful “Good morning!” We are so grateful to have you in our class! Keep being you, Shivansh!
Mubiyna 4B – for fantastic creativity during our poetry unit! In our shared writing lesson, you wowed us with the brilliant simile, “The grass is as dry as chapped lips,” to describe the savannah in the dry season. What a clever, funny, and memorable comparison! Keep letting your imagination shine, Mubiyna, we can’t wait to read more of your amazing writing!
Aileen 5A – Perfect practice makes perfect. You have been doing your homework every week to a high standard. As a result, you have moved up a spelling group. Great work Aileen.
Charlie 6A – For always showing up to class with a positive attitude. You are a valued member of class because of your inclusiveness and good humour. Even if I am only your 4th favourite teacher.
Makayla 6B – for consistently showing kindness and respect to everyone around her. She has also done a fantastic job asking for help when she needs it, showing a positive attitude towards her learning. Keep up the great work!
Vidhaan 6B – for diligently helping his peers during debating group work. His teamwork and willingness to support others were greatly appreciated. Well done
Hello, I am Nina and I had a comp that recently happened in Sydney. It happened from Friday to Monday.
On Friday after school, I flew about an hour to Sydney. On Saturday I had a training session in the competition area for two and a half hours practicing our dances, also known as routines. That was it for the day.
On Sunday, the actual competition started at 7:30am. I did my hoop routine and freehand routine. I came about 20th.
On Monday, the second part of the competition started. I did ball and clubs which I have here to show. I came 10th in ball and 14th all around, so basically 14th in Australia!
Japanese News
TheirCare News
Growing Up Digital with Susan McLean
Wednesday 5 August
6.30pm–7.30pm
Carnegie Library and Community Centre
Join leading cyber safety expert Susan McLean for an informative presentation on raising children in today’s digital world. Drawing on insights from her latest book Growing Up Digital, Susan will share practical strategies to help families navigate online risks, build healthy technology habits, and support children and young people to stay safe, confident, and informed online.
If you feel this session would be valuable for your school community, we’d be grateful if you could share it through your school’s newsletter or parent communication channels.
More information and bookings are available here: https://library.gleneira.vic.gov.au/whats-on/events-calendar/growing-up-digital-with-susan-mclean
——————————————————
Calendar 2026
Term 3
August
Wed 5 House Athletics Yr 3-6
Fri 7 100 Days of Prep
Tue 11 House Athletics Prep-2
Fri 14 Kids Disco
Thu 27 Book Week Parade
September
Fri 4 Father’s Day Stall & Breakfast
Fri 4 District Athletics
Mon 7 School Production
Wed 16 Year 3/4 Camp
Fri 18 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.