GHPS IS COMMITTED TO CHILD SAFETY

    Learning Today.                     Leading Tomorrow.

What an Amazing Spring Fair!

Last Saturday, our school community came together for an unforgettable Spring Fair! Despite the heat, the event was a resounding success, filled with positivity, laughter, and joy. It was a true celebration of the wonderful community spirit that makes our school so special.

We were thrilled to welcome not only our current families but also former students, their families, past teachers, and members of the wider community. The day was a testament to the strong connections and shared enthusiasm we are so fortunate to enjoy.

     

While the final funds raised are still being tallied, the benefits of the day go far beyond the monetary total. That said, the proceeds will support the creation of our long-term project of another senior playground, a project made possible by countless volunteer hours, the incredible generosity of local businesses, and the enthusiastic contributions of our school community.

To all our volunteers, a heartfelt thank you. This collective achievement is something to be immensely proud of. Every time our students enjoy the new playground, I hope you feel a sense of pride and ownership.

The fair wouldn’t have been possible without the dedication of parents, carers, and staff who took the lead in organizing, volunteering, and running stalls. Whether you helped in the lead-up, on the day itself, or both, your contributions made all the difference.

Special Acknowledgements
We extend a special thanks to the following individuals, who went above and beyond to ensure the fair’s success:

These people are:

• Sylvia Yarnton, Gayle Davey, Claire Valentine, and Fiona Davey for bravely managing the organisation of the fair and then generating the enthusiasm which saw so many contribute. Sylvia’s and Gayle’s organisation throughout of all things fair took countless hours and incredible drive and passion!
• Claire Valentine for taking on the challenging roles of rostering, logistics and planning of equipment.
• Daniel and Sylvia for walking the streets around our community and sourcing many of the silent auction item and major sponsors.
• Tara Voss for overseeing several stalls and equipment and silent auction items. Tara also walked many 100’s of steps to gain several auction and raffle prizes.
• Sanchita for maintaining our sponsorship spreadsheet.
• Kavitha Faruqui, Padmashree Nagarajan, Sanchita Shanbhag, Ahamed Fakeer and Lakshmi Ramalingam for their management of the Indian food store
• Sharbani Dhar for graphic design work on advertising boards, leaflets, posters, and signage.
• Fiona Davey and Monica Falconer for coordinating the cake stall.
• Pip Lewis and Laura James-Clarke in the office with helping with much of the organisation at the school end.
• Fiona Davey for her organising and running Raffle.
• Russell Yarnton for our site plan, pack up and set up, shuriken toss and origami.
• The GHPS teaching staff that helped on many of the stores on the day, volunteered “for sponge the teacher” and organised the wonderful classroom hampers.
• Moya Strain and Cam White for collecting and setting up our stage, and for the planning and running of the Glen Huntly’s Got Talent. Special thanks to Becky Broxham and Ruth Kinyua for judging the different acts.
• Hayley Cliff; for her planning and organising of an incredible silent auction.
• Abbi Gilbert and Fiona Davey for coordinating the handmade stall.
• Sally Layton for cooking and serving sausages all day.
• Kavitha, Ahamed, Lakshmi and Sanchita for coordinating the delicious Indian Street food.
• Tara Voss: for creating the Treasure Hunt
• Lauren Kharsas for sourcing creative talents with face painting and glitter tattoos and Fasna Fathima for henna tattoos.
• Lisa Pinter for creating the arts and crafts space.
• Sue Wong for plaster making.
• Sharbani Dhar for sorting, pricing, and manning the Trash and Treasure stall.
• Mick James for transporting the generator.
• Steve Davey for providing the trailer for the choc toss and marquee transport.
• Grade 6: gave everyone an arm workout at Chocolate toss.
• All the people who helped set up early at 9am on Saturday and then packed up late into Saturday night and then returned for a final clean up again early Sunday morning.

To every parent, carer, staff member, student, and volunteer who contributed or came along to support our school, thank you for making the Spring Fair a day to remember. Your efforts remind us of the power of teamwork and the vibrant community we are privileged to be part of.

Without the support of parents and carers to take the lead in organising and volunteering to run stalls, source donations, help with the set up and pack up and so on, the fair would not be possible.

Finally, a huge thank you to Caulfield Rotary for providing volunteers for the fair, and all our sponsors. Please support the following businesses and organisations.

Platinum Sponsors:

Optical Royale

Partners In Planning

Si Senor

Slater & Levin

Verve Portraits

Gold Sponsors:

Beaver’s Tail

Body Fit Training (BFT) Caulfield

Carnegie Vets & Cat Cottage

CODE Dance Studio

Dental Care Carnegie

Dotinfinity

Flight Centre

Hugster Family Photography

Into Solar

Kate Birrell Paintings

Major Mitchell Café

MyHome

Nova Skin Aesthetics

Southeast Melbourne Phoenix

TheirCare

Trek Bicycle Store Carnegie

Quality Groceries & Café

Silver Sponsors:

AFL House

BKK Lab

Burger Bliss

Bayside Tennis

Chamford Gymnastics Club

Code Camp

Fit For Kids Co.

Goodlife Health Clubs, Carnegie

JAX Tyres & Auto Caulfield South

Luna Cards

McKinnon Dental Care

My Little Tribe Photography

Ormond Childcare & Pre-School

Saul’s

Vision on Koornang

Woolworths

Bronze Sponsors:

Albert Park Mini Golf Club

All Diamonds

Annabella Pizza & Pasta

Andy Griffiths / Pan Macmillan Australia

Ashcombe Maze and Lavender Garden

Australian Sport Museum

Avenue Bookstore

Belafonte Coffee

Benn’s Books

BIG 4 Holiday Parks

Big W

Body Fit Training Elsternwick

Build-A-Bear Workshop

Bumps

Bunnings Moorabbin

Café Perri

Camden Hotel

Carnegie Toy Library

Centre Com

Cha time

Child Play Therapy

Classic Cinemas Elsternwick

Cherry Hill Orchards

Cone Art Studio

Crumpler

Dana Patisserie

Da Voluce Lighting Studio

Drummond Golf, Carnegie

Dulux

Eco Explorers

Givoni & Slade Knitwear

Grill’d

Harris Scarfe

Hattam Menswear

HH Jewellery

Home of Lights

House

iCandy Australia

IGA Carnegie

Inspire Chiropractic, McKinnon

Jacs

JBA Physio

Jump Central

Kendama King

Kevin’s Flower Shop

Lana Ro

Leaf Bookshop

Lizzy’s Chocolate Creations

Lumos Bakery, McKinnon

Markese Hair

McKinnon Hotel

Melbourne Music Centre

Melbourne Taekwondo Centre, Malvern

Melbourne United

Merryl’s Mosaics and Glass Studio

Mission District, Ripponlea

Mr Burch, McKinnon

Mr Trampoline

Music Works Magic

Naked Wines

Office of David Southwick MP

Office of Steve Dimopoulos MP

Office of Dr Michelle Anadah Rajah MP

Officeworks

Party Bazaar

Perugia

Penhalluriack’s

PSW Quality Apparel

Pure Boba

Reece

Repco

Ritz Carlton

Rob Grey Fitness

Ruby’s Gifts

Snow-white Baker

Society of Merchants

St. Kilda Cycles

Soul 2 Sole

Sunnybrook Health Store

SuperZu

Sussan

Target Chadstone

The Bread Roll Shop

The Servery

The South African Shop

The Vos Family

The Williamstown Ice Cream

To Be Frank Bakery

Tool Centre McKinnon

Toot Toot Toys

Trialto Meats

Tsalta Clothing

Vacuum Cleaners Plus

Waxy Apple Vintage

Willim McKinnon Café

Will’s Batch

Zebu

Thank you again for your generosity, hard work, and commitment to our school.

Here’s to the next Spring Fair!

Class Structure for 2025

After consultation and many hours of planning with our school budget and student numbers, there will be 13 classes and the class structure for 2025 will be:

• Prep A and Prep B
• Grade 1A, Grade 1B, Grade1C.
• Grade 2A and Grade 2B.
• Grade 3/4A, Grade 3/4B Grade 3/4C
• Grade 5/6A, Grade 5/6B, Grade 5/6C
• Specialists – Art, Music, PE, Japanese and Science

There have been a number of emails recently asking about multiage classes especially for grade 5 and 6. I understand your concerns regarding the organisation of multiage classes for these grades particularly regarding the grade 6 experience and social development of your children. I want to

assure you that the grade 6 students in 2025 will have a rich and fulfilling experience that prepares them for high school.

Key experiences for our grade 6 students will include:

• Planning and delivering weekly school assemblies
• Serving as captains and school leaders
• Allocated sessions for graduation preparation and any grade 6 events as they arise
• Participating in “The Party Hats” group
• Receiving their grade 6 jumpers
• Being buddies to grade 1 students
• Enjoying weekly lunch catch-ups with me
• Having dedicated time for social interactions during lunch

At the same time, grade 5 students will also benefit from opportunities to strengthen their social connections and prepare for NAPLAN and enjoy engaging activities with their prep buddies.

Multiage classes are a proven model employed at GHPS and many other schools across the state. Research shows that such configurations do not negatively impact student learning. The Victorian Curriculum is designed along a continuum, allowing our teachers to pre-test students and tailor lessons to their individual levels. Our dedicated educators are skilled in differentiating instruction to meet diverse learning needs, using strategies like ability grouping and open-ended tasks.

In multiage classrooms, younger students benefit from the leadership and modeling provided by older peers, while grade 6 students develop responsibility and confidence by taking on mentorship roles.

The decision to implement multiage classes for 2025 was made after thorough discussions with our school’s executive team and staff, considering various factors to ensure that we best serve our students’ needs. As a school we receive an allocation of funding and together with the student numbers in each grade, I am responsible for allocating the financial resources that will best serve our school’s annual implementation plan and goals. I am entrusted to manage the school finances and maintain a viable school budget.

I want to emphasise my commitment to making the grade 6 experience exceptional for all students in 2025.

Thank you for your understanding and support. Together, we look forward to a wonderful year ahead.

Staffing 2025

There will be a few changes to the current staffing due to several reasons. Ms Ashleigh Smart has decided to take leave next year to pursue personal interests and goals.

Mrs Mikaela King moved to the northern suburbs last term which has made the commute to school a long one, especially in the afternoon. Mikaela has been successful in gaining a position in Pascoe Vale for 2025.

After being at GHPS for 30 years Mrs Eugenia Sassos has decided to retire from teaching to spend more time with her family, especially her dear grandchildren. Hopefully, we will see her return for the odd CRT replacement teacher day. As a school we will farewell Eugenia more formally later in the term.

I am very pleased to announce the appointment of 3 new teachers to the GHPS team; Abbie Jones from Valkstone Primary, Alexander Papadopoulos from Port Melbourne Primary and Magenta Pearsall who has been working in a childcare centre while completing her teaching degree.

We are very lucky to have all of them join our team as they have such enthusiasm and passion for building positive wellbeing and learning for all students. In addition, Claire Piscioneri is returning to GHPS in a part time role.

Grade 3/4 Camp to Phillip Island: A Memorable Adventure!

This week, our Grade 3/4 students embarked on an exciting journey to Phillip Island for their much-anticipated camp. The experience was not only filled with fun and laughter but also provided a valuable opportunity for students to develop essential life skills such as independence, perseverance, self-management, teamwork, and resilience.

Throughout the camp, the students participated in a variety of engaging activities that challenged them to step out of their comfort zones and support one another. Highlights included the thrilling Big Swing, beach walk and Flying Fox, where cheers of encouragement echoed as students faced their fears and soared through the air.

A visit to the beautiful Phillip Island beach added a touch of serenity to the action-packed schedule. Students enjoyed exploring the sandy shores, taking in the fresh sea air, and learning about the unique coastal environment.

Camp is always a special time to create lifelong memories, strengthen friendships, and grow as individuals. Watching our students work together, cheer each other on, and tackle challenges with determination was truly inspiring.

We are incredibly proud of all our Grade 3/4 campers for their enthusiasm, bravery, and teamwork. A big thank you to the staff and parent volunteers who made this unforgettable experience possible!

Here’s to more adventures and life lessons on future camps! 🌟

Swimming

Our annual school swimming program is next week! It runs for a full week. This program caters to all skill levels, from non-swimmers taking their first steps into the water to more advanced swimmers honing their techniques.

Swimming is not only a fun and enjoyable activity but also an essential life skill. This program forms a vital part of our PE curriculum, promoting fitness, water safety, and confidence in the pool.

The kids always look forward to this exciting week, filled with learning and laughter. We encourage all families to prioritize attendance so students can fully benefit from this valuable experience. Let’s make a splash together!

 Nerida Burns   Principal              Cameron White   Assistant Principal

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Congratulations to the following students who received a ‘Student of the Week’ award.

Ethan 0A – For his kind and caring nature towards others. It is a pleasure to see you playing phonics games fairly with your classmates. Great work, Ethan!

Aniket 0A – For being brave and trying new foods in cooking. Well done, Aniket!

Freddie 0B – For the fantastic improvement you’ve shown when writing about Seahorses this week—wow! Your handwriting and sentence structure are on fire, and it’s been so exciting to see you grow. Keep dazzling us, Writing Wizard!

Mitchell 0C – For making a beautiful poppy for Remembrance Day, adding thoughtful words to honour those who served. Your care, respect, and creativity truly shone through in a meaningful way. Well done!

Adhiyamaan 1A – For staying focused during Art class when learning to stitch. Keep up the awesome work – your creativity was shining!

Jaasritha 1A – For consistently displaying our school values—Respect, Teamwork, Resilience, Pride, and Creativity. You’re a total rockstar! Keep shining!

Lily 1B – For your fantastic attitude towards our money unit! You confidently used a collection of silver coins to make 100 cents, and you even knew that 100 cents equals a dollar! How cool is that? Well done! Keep up the amazing work!

Geetikaa 2A – For helping out your other group members during maths rotations this week. You really showed your understanding of area! Keep up the great work!

Yashas 2B – For the effort he has been putting in towards his spelling test every week this term. He has shown he is working hard to practise his words and at times, utilising some tricky words in his writing too. Keep it up!

Shivansh 2B – For his wonderful work to show his understanding of units of measurement, comparing what is bigger, taller or longer when looking at objects. Amazing!

Archit 3A – For working so hard completing all of your work this week. You did an especially good job with our area rotations this week during maths. Well done!!

Nora 3B – For the amazing editing skills she has applied to her narrative writing piece. She has shown pride in her work by revising her story many times, using feedback from the teacher and adding exciting adverbs to engage the reader! Well done!

Jishan 3C – For your perseverance when learning about Symmetry and Reflections. You took on feedback from your teachers and peers, and tried your best to solve the puzzle. It wasn’t easy but you did it! Congratulations, Jishan!

Valika 3C – For your incredible dedication and effort across all lessons. You confidently shared your thoughts with the class and consistently extended yourself when learning about Area and Perimeter. You are pushing yourself to new limits! Outstanding efforts, Valika!

Bhagya 3C – for your thoughtful actions written on your kindness flower. You inspire people around you to be kind and bring positivity to our classroom. Keep shining and spreading kindness.

Nagi 4B – For your initiative displayed when tiding up our classroom and dedication to plugging in all the chromebooks. Thank you for taking pride in your school and class belongings!

Sean 4C – Showing care and confidence to others, being enthusiastic in all class activities and contributing detailed general knowledge to discussions! Congratulations superstar!

Aarav 5A – For demonstrating great teamwork in cooking this week to make a delicious self-saucing chocolate pudding and fruit skewers with your group. Yum!

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TheirCare News

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GHPS Facebook

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Calendar

TERM 4

November

Fri 22        Year 3/4 Campers return

Mon 25    Week of Swimming

Thu 28    2025 Prep Transition #4

December

Tue 3rd   Celebration night

Wed 11    Year 6 Graduation

Thu 19     Final Assembly

Fri 20      Last Day Term 4 (Early Finish 1.30pm)

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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.