Newsletter #4 12 March 2020
Principals Report
2020 School Council Elections
Nominations for GHPS School Council closed on Friday 6 March and I would like to congratulate our new parent members for being successfully elected to the 2020 GHPS School Council. There were 5 vacancies and 5 nominations so this is just the right numbers which is fantastic.
Maitreyee Khire (Dhruva Patankar Prep N)
Arthur Le ( Marko Le 5S)
Lauren Newstead (Austin White Prep N)
Nicole Bishop( Brody Smith 4C)
Supriya Arikarevula ( Aditya Alamuru 3K)
Thank you also to Ms Amy Tinetti – Assistant Principal who has been re-elected to Council as DET Member
Thank you to the returning parent member Councillors:
Ross Donnan (Amber 5)
Nicole Verginis ( Stephanie 4 & Alex 6)
Kalai Selvi Karthikeyan (Ajaai 4)
Satya Tharana Surireddy (Raghav 4 & Sindhura 1)
Kathryn Dench (Elka 3)
Thankyou to the returning staff member Councilors:
David Jenkins: Grade 4
Emma Murnane: Grade 1
Claire Piscioneri: Grade 6
I look forward to meeting with you at the first meeting of this new Council next Monday 16 March at 7pm in the East Site Staff Room
Premier Minister for Health and Victorian Health Officer Corona Virus Update
Resources have been provided to GHPS to help us communicate the latest updates to families on Coronavirus and when to report and overseas travel.
The Premier Minister for Health and Victorian Health Officer has announced that preparations are underway to manage the growing risk of an emerging COVID19 pandemic in Victoria
What we would do here at GHPS:
If a staff member or student at our school is in one of the categories below, the school must contact DHHS for advice on what to do next.
The school would also make an IRIS incident alert by contacting the Department of Education and Training Incident Support and Operations Centre.
Categories for contacting DHHS:
- The person is a confirmed case of COVID-19
- The person is a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19
“Close contact” is defined by DHHS as someone who has had at least 15 minutes of face-to-face contact with a confirmed case, share a closed space with someone for more than two hours with a confirmed case.
Good hygiene practices are the most effective means to minimising the spread of COVID-19, and GHPS is continuing to encourage these practices every day. As we do not have a student or staff member in one of these categories, we do not need to take any further action.
School Closures
School closures will be made on the recommendation Victoria’s Health Officer. If and once this occurs, DHHS will inform the DETs and they will work with the school to implement the closure. This will include support to communicate advice and instructions to our students, staff and the community.
A key element to GHPS managing the actions if we are advised by DET that we need to enact a school closure is to have good ways and means of being able to let families know if a situation arises. The school will only be closed if we are instructed to by the DET, but here’s how you can help:
- Ensure your contact details for your child are up to date. This means we can send any alerts through Compass. If you are unable to get onto or join Compass please call the school so we can help you.
- Know how to get onto the GHPS school website as we will have information there as well
Update to travel restrictions
The Commonwealth Government also updated travel restrictions this week.
The extensions to existing travel restrictions now applies to visitors from Republic of Korea, Iran and Mainline Chine. Visitors who are not Australian citizens or permanent residents, or their dependants will not be allowed entry into Australia.
The Commonwealth Government has also advised that visitors from Italy will also be subject to enhanced health screening and temperature testing arrangements.
The Department will continue to review health and travel advice in collaboration with health authorities as the situation evolves and we will keep you up to date with any changes.
Some of our students and families may be affected by the travel advice, and I’d encourage you to support each other. Everyone can protect against infections by practising good hand and respiratory hygiene.
Here are some tips that we all can follow at GHPS:
- Cover your mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing with a tissue, or cough into your elbow.
- Dispose of the tissue into a bin and then wash your hands afterwards.
- Wash your hands regularly using soap and water, including after using the toilet, and before eating.
This is based on advice received from Victoria’s Chief Health Officer and applies until further notice.
The following resources have been highly visible in several locations at GHPS for some time but are here and available for you to promote with your family.
Wash your hands regularly – poster
Cover your cough and sneeze – poster
Unwell staff and students
In accordance with the Department’s regular Infectious Diseases Policy we will send unwell students or staff home. Unwell students and staff should remain at home until symptoms resolve and seek medical assistance as required.
- Primary responsibility for the prevention and control of infectious diseases lies with individuals, families and public health authorities.
- Schools are not expected to provide expert advice or treat students, which is the role of medical practitioners and health authorities.
Excursions
Where appropriate, can parents please tighten up their practice of checking on the due dates we set for returning permission forms and or payment for an excursion or incursion.
On each notice there is a return slip DATE. This is the date for when the form MUST be returned. It is so challenging for both the Class teacher and Office Staff if the form is not there and the class is due to leave for the excursion, so we ask that you return by the due date which is always at least 3-5 days earlier.
We can no longer accept late forms. It is also not possible to ring parents for permission on the morning of when an excursion is due to leave or because parents have not sent back the form.
To refresh your knowledge of our policy: CAMPS & EXCURSIONS, here is the link to our website.
https://www.glenhuntlyps.vic.edu.au/
Thank you for your support and if you have any questions about this, please contact the office.
Student Councillors Meeting Wednesday 11 March
For the first time since being elected at the 2020 Student Councillors we all met yesterday. I was most impressed by the way the group collaborated together.
Thank you to Hugo and Isabelle for providing a report for the newsletter.
Family Fun Night Friday 13 March
We look forward to a great turnout to this year’s Family Fun Night which will be held on the East Site Oval.
Thank you to all families and staff who have indicated they will be coming to our social event. The kids will love playing the games which will be put on by Ms Kasambalis and there will be music entertainment arranged by Mr Andrew Aitken.
Thanks Ms de Bruyn who will be selling Jude’s lemonade icy poles from Jude’s Lemon Bike Cart and to GPA for arranging to have Woodstack Pizzas available to buy.
It is a very a very handy option for tea but feel free to bring along your own picnic and refreshments.
School Council and Annual Reporting Meeting (ARM) Monday 27 April
The Annual Reporting Meeting for 2019 will now be held on Monday 27 April and parents and staff are invited to put this date into their calendar if they would like to attend:
Prep (Foundation) to Grade 2 Easter Hat Parade: Thursday 19 March 2-3pm in the WW Hall.
Mr Aitken will be organising the music and singing for his first Easter Hat Parade and GPA will be running the annual Easter Raffle.
We have put the call out for donations of Easter goodies and we are getting tickets out for families to buy and sell to friends.
It’s an exciting parade with lots of colour and smiles, so we hope parents can come along and join in the fun.
Grade 5/6 Camp at Portsea: Monday 23 – Wednesday 25 March
A big thankyou to the Grade 5/6 team for organising the 3 day Camp which will depart in Week 9.
Thank you to the wonderful staff for giving up their home comforts and families etc to be there for the students: Mrs Melinda Oldham, Mr Callum Swanson, Mrs Alysha Jones, Ms Claire Piscioneri, Ms Justine de Bruyn, Jenny Grose and Denise Rimanic.
Harmony Day
On Wednesday 27 March, the school will have a Taiko Drumming Incursion to celebrate Harmony Day and our Japanese LOTE and Music Program.
Thank you Mr Andrew Aitken for arranging this unique opportunity for all to attend.
The times for the sushi lunch will accommodate both sessions and we thank the GPA for their fantastic assistance.
Don’t forget to wear orange or national dress if you have something to wear. Otherwise its school uniform as usual.
Lightning Premiership
Congratulations to the Grades 5/6 students for representing GHPS so proudly at last week’s Lightning Premiership.
There great stories about the day and how well everyone participated which is great to hear.
Thank you to the staff and Gr 5/6 students who attended along with Ms Kasambalis and teaching staff. A report is included with this newsletter.
End of Term 1
It’s approaching fast and just a reminder that all students will be dismissed at 2.30pm on Friday 27 March from their usual site.
Students who are registered for TheirCare will be collected in the usual way.
Don’t forget we have great Autumn Holiday Program operating by Their Care and bookings are now open on 1300072410 or go to www.TheirCare.com.au and are a Child Care subsidy approved provider.
This year the dates for Easter during the school holidays are: Good Friday is the 10 April and Easter Monday is 13 April so Term 2 resumes on Tuesday 14 April.
Libby Alessi Principal
A message from your Assistant Principal:
Working Bee: Hour of Power!
Thank you to all of the families who have already responded to our Working Bee: Hour of Power next Friday 20th March 3:30-4:30pm. We are very excited to be trialing this new model for our working bees and it will be a fun afternoon!
For those families who are attending and have gardening tools at home, here are some suggestions of the equipment you can bring:
Pruning Tools 
Weeder 
Garden Trowel 
Weed Garden Fork 
Gardening Gloves 
(If you don’t want to get your hands dirty)
In our ‘Hour Of Power’ we will be weeding garden beds, weeding the fence line of Grange Rd, touching up the paint work on the Shelter Shed and spreading tanbark in the garden beds, rotunda area and West Site carpark.
Our sausage sizzle will be at 4:30pm for those families who have helped and their will also be a lucky door prize! I look forward to seeing you all there!
Compass:
Well done to all parents for jumping on board the Compass train!
Can all parents please make sure that all their details are correct by following these simple steps:
Step 1: Click on ‘Open Browsers’
Step 2: click on ‘Settings’ (right hand side of page)
Step 3: Click on ‘Update’
Step 4: Check your information, update if needed then click ‘Update My Details’
Please come to the office if you have any questions.
“When educating the minds of our youth, we must not forget to educate their hearts.”
Dalai Lama
Amy Tinetti Assistant Principal
Congratulations to the following students who received a ‘Student of the Week’ award during the past 2 weeks.
Akshara 0R – Wonderful Recount Writing
Lewis 0R – For always having a positive attitude and bringing a smile to everyone’s face!
Abby 0S – For being a responsible class member and always doing her best during our phonics and writing sessions.
Dylan 1A – For staying focused and on task during every lesson today!
Teru 1E – showing amazing improvement in your listening skills.
Rishikesh 2C – The pride you take in every piece of work you do. Your effort and care are so impressive!
Riddhi 3F – Outstanding results in her weekly spelling test
Zoya 3F – Her wonderful commitment to her home reading achieving a perfect 7 nights of reading every week.
Chakri 3O – For getting 100% on his spelling test this week. You are a Super Spelling Star
Adishree 3O – For reading at home every night and filling out her reading log.
Harper 4C – For being an enthusiastic, supportive and hardworking member of our classroom community. Your efforts to reach your learning goals have not gone unnoticed.
Aanya 4C – For displaying a positive attitude towards her learning and showing initiative when undertaking her classroom responsibilities
Rishabh 4C – For your growing confidence to share your thinking during class discussions and not being afraid to give questions a go.
Luke 4J – Always confidently and persistently striving to solve mathematical equations and problems, until the correct solution has been found.
Sushma 4R – For your excellent participation in guided reading this week. Keep up the great work!
Anna-Lucia 5S – For consistently approaching her reading with enthusiasm and effort.
Stella 6J – For actively seeking assistance to ensure that she is striving for excellence.
Student Council
On the 11th of March, we had our first student council meeting with Mrs Alessi.
The councilors got ideas from their class on how we can improve the school (as always), but at the meeting we also focused on our favourite moment at school this year (eg: stride day and 5/6 sport).
We also talked about what collaborating is, how to use self-regulation and initiative to upgrade and enhance the school as we know it. Everybody chose which one they were good at, and everybody shared.
Our next meeting will be on the 22nd of April and we all look forward to really starting to refine the school!
Hugo and Isabelle School Captains
Families holding a valid means-tested concession card or foster parents are eligible to apply for the Education State Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund.
To be eligible for the fund, a parent or legal guardian of a student attending a Victorian Primary School MUST hold a Pension or Concession Card or Centrelink Health Care Card.
This form is available from the office and must be filled out each year.
For more information, contact the office
Sport News
Lightning Premiership
On Tuesday, 10th March we had our first 5/6 Sport Lightning Premiership day. Students participated in Cricket, Basketball, Volleystars and Softball.
All teams had wins, draws and losses. It was great to see Grade 5’s enthusiasm at their first 5/6 sport competition.
Our students showed skill, sportsmanship and made our coaches proud on the day. Term 2 Winter Sport sign -ups will begin in Week 8. Big thanks to the Grade 5/6 teachers, teacher aides and student teachers who helped make the day a success!
Our school is excited to announce we are running our bi-annual JUMP ROPE FOR HEART PROGRAM, beginning in term 2 for 5 weeks.
Below is a link to register your child to raise money during the JUMP ROPE FOR HEART PROGRAM. Get JUMPING!
https://www.jumprope.org.au/parents
Uniform Shop
The Uniform Shop will be open on Thursdays, 9.00am – 10.00am.
Please remember to write your child’s name on their belongings, and check lost property.
ALL LOST PROPERTY NOT COLLECTED BY THE END OF TERM WILL BE THROWN OUT OR SOLD IN THE SECOND HAND UNIFORM SHOP.
Notices distributed to parents
Mar 2 All Families Easter Raffle Tickets
Mar 2 All Families Family Fun Night
Mar 3 Year 3 & 5 Students Naplan Information
Mar 4 All Students Harmony Day Activities
Mar 5 All Families Working Bee Information
Mar 5 All Families Easter Raffle Donations
Mar 6 All Students Sushi Orders
Mar 12 Year 6 Students Movie Permission Form
Calendar
MARCH
Fri 13 Family Fun Night
Thu 19 Easter Hat Parade and Raffle
Fri 20 Working Bee 3.30pm – 4.30pm
Mon 23 Year 5/6 Camp
Thu 26 Harmony Day
Fri 27 End of Term 1 (early dismissal 2.30pm)
Seeking Relief School Crossing Supervisors
Glen Eira City Council is currently recruiting relief school crossing supervisors. We are looking for people who are willing to travel across the whole of the municipality, have their own transport and have availability to be called on at short notice in the mornings and in the afternoons. Applicants must have excellent communication skills, enjoy working with people, be reliable and hardworking.
If you are interested in applying for the role, visit
https://www.gleneira.vic.gov.au/about-council/careers/explore-our-jobs/job/4336
For further information, contact School Crossing Business Support Officer Sandra on 9524 3333 or email schoolcrossing@gleneira.vic.gov.au
Sandra Horrigan
School Crossing Business Support Officer Mon to Fri, 10am to 2pm
