Newsletter #14 6 October 2023
GHPS IS COMMITTED TO CHILD SAFETY
Learning Today. Leading Tomorrow.
GHPS Glen Huntly PS launches new uniform
Return to Term 4
A very warm welcome back to everyone as we start another busy term of learning and exciting milestones. We look forward to the many special events and particular things that make term 4 so special.
We are delighted to welcome Ms Sarah Price, who has commenced teaching at GHPS for 3 days per week for term 4. Ms Price will take over teaching 3RK Monday to Wednesday when Ms Roth takes maternity leave but has joined our staff already. As she prepares for the arrival of her second baby due in November, Ms Roth’s final day will be Wednesday 18 October.
We also welcome back to GHPS Ms Zoe Marini who will be teaching two days per week this term. Ms Marini will be teaching across all classes this term on Thursday and Friday and next year will resume full time. We wish all staff, students, and families a wonderful term 4.
World Teachers’ Day and GPA
To mark the amazing work of our teachers we celebrate World Teachers’ Day on Thursday 5 October.
We have incredible teachers at GHPS who work extremely hard to make each child’s learning the best it can be and who dedicate so many hours to prepare for each day of teaching.
To make this day very special, the GPA provided a lovely morning tea for all staff to enjoy. To compliment a lovely selection of sweet and savory treats, the table was set with daisies which were so cheery and pretty.
Thank you so much to Sarah (Rachel 2S) and Sylwia (Albert PD /Ernest 2S) for arranging the plates of food, the flowers and delivering everything to both East & West staff rooms.
We are also very grateful to the parents who donated funds for the morning tea purchases, who baked or donated the yummy spread of goodies and who helped behind the scenes. We feel very fortunate and highly value our parents and community involvement.
Our GPA does a brilliant job! While I am acknowledging this fabulous committee, I’d like to give a bit of a shout out to everyone to let you know that there are quite a few places to sign up where we need your help on the rosters on Saturday 14 October.
Voting on the Voice to Parliament referendum will be at GHPS, as we are an official polling station.
Please open the link and get on board to help: SIGN UP HERE
It will need lots of support. I look forward to seeing you there 🙂
Professional Practice Days for teachers
In accordance with the Victorian Government Schools Agreement, each teacher is entitled to a professional practice day each semester this year.
Our staff will be scheduled to take their day this term and will be for the most part, released by Ms Marini. Staff highly value this day and work at school from the following areas:
- planning
- preparation
- assessment of student learning
- collaboration
- curriculum development
- relevant professional development
- peer observation including feedback.
2024 Planning
To assist with planning classes for next year, can families please advise us before Friday 13 October if their child will not be returning to GHPS in 2024.
We would be grateful for your quick response to this request.
Prep 2024 Transition Sessions
Ms Carly Draper, Mr Ryan Bowden, and Mr Cameron White will be very excited to welcome our newest students and families to the first Prep Transition session next Tuesday 10 October 9-10am.
We would welcome the submission of any additional 2024 Prep enrolment forms from any families who have yet to enrol their child.
The second session will be at 9am on Tuesday 24 October.
Athletics
Congratulations to Sully (4S) and Ivy (4S) who are competing in discus, Alisha (5/6K) in shot put and Harvey (4SJ) in the 800m at the Division Athletics at Duncan McKinnon Reserve.
We are very proud of your achievements in being selected to compete at the level having been awarded a place at the District level last term. Sensational!
Grade 3/4 Camp
Next Monday 9 October, students from Grade 3/4 will attend a three-day camp at Waratah Beach Camp at Waratah Bay.
Staff attending will be Ms Sassos, Mr Jenkins, Ms Smart, Ms Casas, Ms Kasambalis, Ms de Bruyn, Ms Jacobs, and Ruth.
We hope everyone has a fabulous time and we are appreciative of all the staff who have offered to attend.
The campers will return on Wednesday 11 October around 3pm and we look forward to hearing all about your fabulous opportunities to learn new skills and make new friends.
Art Show & Science Fair
This will be an amazing opportunity to see the work of our students and showcase our unique and highly acclaimed Science and Art programs so make sure you come down to school on the 23 October at 4.30-6.30pm.
Thank you to Mrs Melinda Oldham and Ms Justine de Bruyn for giving us the opportunity to see first-hand what wonderful talent our students have and how both of you make these curriculum areas so extraordinary and enriching.
This Policy provides guidelines to support staff and students to use a combination of sun protection measures when UV index levels are 3 or above (generally mid-August – end of April).
As we know, Melbourne has diverse weather conditions but overall, during term 4, the levels of UV are high during this time (not today however!)
Please read the policy for further details and remind your child to pack their school hat (named) every day and when to apply sunscreen.
Prevention of spreading germs
Together with classroom reminders, we rely on parents and carers to teach their children the practice of good hand hygiene, particularly prior/on arrival at school, before and after eating, after blowing your nose, coughing, sneezing, or using the toilet.
To reduce the spread of germs, we are proactively encouraging our community to bring outdoor air into school and into your home as this is the simplest way to ventilate living and learning spaces.
If it is safe, open doors and windows to bring outdoor air in. When the weather is cooler, even having a window open slightly can help. For thermal comfort, it is recommended that heating and air conditioning systems are used even when the windows and doors are open. Maximising air movement by turning on ceiling fans or using oscillating pedestal fans promotes airflow as well.
Student Absences
A reminder to notify your child’s teacher in Compass if they will be absent and provide a reason. If your child is unwell, please keep them home until they are well enough to return.
School Council Meeting
The next general school council meeting will be on Monday 30 October in the East Site Staff Room with the Building Fund meeting commencing at 6.15pm followed by Finance at 6.30pm.
The School Council will commence at 7pm.
Chook Monitors
A big thank you to all our wonderful chook monitors who helped out in the holidays – Charlie, Sean, Tejaswini, Rushitha, Rajvi, Shenan, Thomas, and Nimsa.
We greatly appreciate your help.
Pupil Free Curriculum Day 4 Monday 6 November
This day will be a pupil free day. TheirCare out of hours school will be available for students who are registered. Please contact them if you need further information.
Term 4
Mon 2 Oct: First day of Term 4
Thu 5 Oct: World Teachers’ Day
Fri 6 Oct: GPA meeting: East Site
Mon 9 Oct: Grade 3 and 4 Camp departs for Waratah Bay from the West Site
Tues 10 Oct: 2024 Prep transition day #1
Wed 11 Oct: Grade 3 and 4 Campers return
Sat 14 October: Voice to Parliament Referendum and GPA fundraising during voting times
Fri 20 Oct: Order and pay for mangoes.
Mon 23 Oct: Science Fair & Art Show
Tues 24 Oct: 2024 Prep transition day #2
Mon 30 Oct: Building Fund, Finance Sub committee and School Council
Tues 31 Oct: Halloween
Mon 6 Nov: Curriculum Day – student free day first aid and report writing.
Tue 7 Nov: Melbourne Cup Day Public holiday
Fri 10 Nov: Remembrance Day Service at school
Tues 14 Nov: 2024 Prep transition day #3
Fri 17 Nov: GPA meeting: East Site
Mon 20 Nov: Building Fund, Finance Subcommittee and School Council
Mon 20 Nov: Swimming program starts.
Tues 21 Nov: Swimming program
Wed 22 Nov: Swimming program
Thur 23 Nov: Swimming program
Fri 24 Nov: Swimming program last day
Tues 28 Nov: Prep transition day #4 and parent information day
Fri 1 Dec: Grade 5/6 interschool sport day
Fri 1 Dec: Prep Excursion to Bounce
Tues 5 Dec: 2024 Prep transition day #5 and Parents Information Session
Tues 5 Dec: Carols night 5pm on west side
Tues 12 Dec: Year 6 transition day for students starting Year 7 2024
Wed 13 Dec: Grade 6 graduation 5pm
Thur 14 Dec: Movie Day Grade 3 to 6 – Picnic in the park Prep to 2
Thur 14 Dec: Reports go out to parents TBC.
Fri 15 Dec: Final assembly
Wed 20 Dec: Last day of school 1.30pm finish
Libby Alessi Principal
Congratulations to the following students who received a ‘Student of the Week’ award.
Shir FB – For showing perseverance in completing your writing this week. You worked so hard to create and write sentences for your information report about Chickens. Keep it up Sentence Superstar!
Knox FD – For putting in a strong effort this week while learning about shapes. You were able to name and describe different shapes and you could even find 3D shapes in your lunchbox! Well done!
Zoe 1F – For embracing a challenge and showcasing her marvellous mathematical knowledge when adding with regrouping. Amazing!
Tharan 2M – For being a fantastic Storyteller in our Literacy Groups this week. You retold what the text Tool Time was about in a clear, confident, and interesting way.
Kiara 2S – for working cooperatively and showing respect when working with her classmates in our group activities this week. Well done, Kiara!
Sienna 3C – For your determination to improve in all learning areas. You have shown to develop your confidence in your abilities and continue to sharpen your focus during group discussions. Fantastic efforts, Sienna!
Angela in 3RK – Welcome to our grade, Angela! Looking forward to getting to know you this term!
Anton 4A – For your fantastic effort this week with writing all the different variations of poems. You are a rhyming rockstar!
Hanish 4SJ – Always using wise, clever, and effective initiative to solve and deal with problems and class contingencies, as they emerge.
Radha 4SJ – There’s not enough excellent and moving poetry in our world today. You took care of this today with your wonderful evocative couplet poem about the seasons, weather, the Sun, and the Moon. Awesome, clever, and brilliant poetry is now yours to share!
Shiva and Tengyi 5/6K – For sharing mathematical strategies and thinking about conversions from metres squared to kilometres squared during our area, volume, and capacity unit. Great teamwork!
Vihaan 5/6R – for settling back into term 4 with ease. You have demonstrated excellent listening skills and organisation this week. Well done.
Year 3
Connection to Country
As we walk through the parks
Of Naarm we see the sparks of the
Leaves as they fall on the ground
And don’t make any sound.
I hear the birds chirping in the morning
I hear the kangaroos
Click, clack while they hop
In the evening.
Marvellous Melbourne wakes
Me up as the sun rises high
Upon the sky and at night
While the sun sets
and the owls snore the day ends.
By Vedesh Krishna (3C)
Where the bush meets the sky
My heart is beating for the bush
I am home to my family’s heart
When the trees meet the sky I feel safe
I’m at my country’s home, my heart.
The sun is rising with its tall shadows
The trees towering above me, home sweet home
I have my countries heart
The heart that belongs to me
It’s always with me and always will be.
All along my path my heart is dazzling bright
The feeling of this adventure is all I need to know
I am home with my heart my family’s heart
Always will be, always there, my country,
When the trees skim the sky I am connected
I climb the eucalyptus trees
As I reach for the clouds, I am part of the gum trees
When the trees hit the sky, I am country
I touch down on the clouds, I am home.
By Elsie Lupton (3C)
Numeracy
Message from a former GHPS Student
Hi, my name is Sanika and I used to attend Glen Huntly Primary School when I was little. Since GHPS, I have graduated from a Selective Entry High School in 2018 and I completed my Bachelors of Music Performance at Monash’s Sir Zelman Cohen School of Music.
While at GHPS, I participated in a Talent Show hosted by amazing and supportive staff members. They gave me a CD and told me to practice by singing into a hairbrush. I put so much hard work into it and I was so nervous leading up to the performance day. On the show day, I remember looking up at the older kids and thinking to myself, ‘I’m the smallest/youngest one here’. When I received my award, I found it so hard to accept that I had won despite being 7 years old. Anyways, this experience opened a whole new world of singing to me. My interest and passion cultivated after this; I fell in love with singing.
I recently released my debut single “BRAVE”. It’s available on all streaming platforms so you should go stream it now! I had my first headliner at the Brunswick Ballroom (as you can see in the photos) and performed the song with my wonderful band.
I have a lot of fun and exciting things for you to look forward to if you’re interested in joining me on my music journey as an independent artist.
Don’t let your age get in the way of trying out a new hobby or learning a new skill. Whether that be chess, dancing, singing, acting, ect…! Step out of your comfort zone, work hard and watch your success grow. Be BRAVE!
https://sanikahambarday.hearnow.com/brave
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Calendar
TERM 4
October
Mon 9 Year 3/4 Camp
Tue 10 2024 Prep Transition #1
Mon 23 Art & Science Show
Tue 24 2024 Prep Transition #2
Mon 30 Teeth on Wheels
November
Mon 6 Curriculum Day
Tue 7 Melbourne Cup Holiday
Tue 14 2024 Prep Transition #3
Mon 20 Whole School Swimming Program commences
Tue 28 2024 Prep Transition #4 & Parent Information Session
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.
