GHPS IS COMMITTED TO CHILD SAFETY

    Learning Today.                     Leading Tomorrow.

Happy Mother’s Day to all the special women in our students’ lives. We hope you have a wonderful Sunday with your families.

Returning to school has been splendid, especially being greeted by so many smiling faces and students eager to ask about my holiday adventures. It was lovely to hear everyone’s excitement and to share some of the special memories from the trip.

My husband, Rohan, and I enjoyed the most incredible five-week adventure, beginning in Milan before travelling into Switzerland. One of the highlights was catching the train to Zermatt, where I experienced a true winter wonderland for the very first time. Seeing snow-covered mountains and villages felt absolutely magical. The journey became even more spectacular as we travelled by train through the breathtaking Swiss Alps back into Italy. It was incredibly cold — I have never worn so many thermals in my life — but every moment was worth it for the stunning scenery.

Our next destination was Ireland, a country filled with breathtaking landscapes, welcoming people, and fascinating history. We joined a 12-day tour and were captivated by the rolling green countryside, dramatic coastlines, and the warmth of the Irish people wherever we went.

From there, we flew to London and spent time exploring many of the city’s iconic sights and landmarks before continuing our journey through Cornwall and the beautiful Cotswolds. Both regions were filled with charm, history and picturesque scenery that made the perfect ending to our holiday.

It was truly a holiday we both loved — an unforgettable experience filled with adventure, beautiful landscapes, and new experiences.

A sincere thank you to Mr White and Mrs Oldham for ensuring our school ran smoothly and ensured a positive start to the term.

Union Industrial Actions.

The Australian Education Union (AEU) is undertaking a further series of protected industrial actions.

We are working closely with our AEU representatives to understand the implications for our school and to minimise disruption wherever possible, with student learning and wellbeing remaining our priority.

Half Day Strike Action – 21 May will not go ahead

There will be some key areas that directly impact school operations and school families.

Student Reports

There is a ban on writing individual comments for student reports.

Students will still receive a report at the end of Term 2, which will include a subject descriptor, your child’s progression point for each subject and a student comment. However, personalised comments reflecting your child’s academic and social/emotional development will not be included.

The importance of attendance – Every day counts

At our school, we know that regular attendance is one of the most important factors in your child’s success. Coming to school each day helps students build strong foundations in literacy and numeracy, develop friendships, and feel connected to their learning community. The Victorian Department of Education emphasises that daily attendance supports not only academic progress, but also social and emotional development, including confidence, resilience, and a sense of belonging.

Our Current Attendance data

The latest attendance data shows that 51% of our students have excellent attendance of between 95-100%. While 7% (or 24) students have attended school so far this year less than 70%. Our data shows that family holidays during the term have impacted some of these students’ low attendance.

Learning is a sequential process. When students miss school, they often miss key concepts that can be difficult to catch up on later. Even a small number of absences can add up over time and impact both achievement and wellbeing. Regular attendance helps students stay engaged, maintain routines, and make the most of all learning opportunities.

Parent/carer responsibilities

Under Victorian legislation, parents and carers are responsible for ensuring their child attends school every day it is open, and for providing an explanation for any absence.

Schools are required to record all absences and determine whether the reason provided is reasonable. If a student is absent and no explanation is received, the school will contact families on the same day to ensure student safety and wellbeing.

Explained vs unexplained absences

All absences must be explained. If a reason is not provided, the absence will be recorded as unexplained. Ongoing or frequent unexplained absences will be followed up by the school and may involve additional support or formal processes to improve attendance.

We understand that children may be unwell or have unavoidable appointments. Communication is key—please keep us informed so we can support your child’s learning and wellbeing.

Extended absences and family holidays

If your child will be absent for an extended period (for example, family holidays), this must be approved in advance by myself (Nerida Burns).

Please note that not all extended absences can be approved, and families are encouraged to plan holidays during school vacation periods wherever possible.

Acknowledging that students can’t always attend

We recognise that there are times when children cannot attend school due to illness, medical appointments, or exceptional circumstances. Our priority is always to work in partnership with families to support each child.

If your child is experiencing ongoing attendance challenges, please reach out so we can provide support.

Working together

Strong attendance is a shared responsibility between home and school.

By ensuring your child attends regularly and communicating openly about absences, you are helping set them up for success.

Our partnership with Parents

A priority at GHPS is working in partnership with our families to ensure every student has the best opportunity for success. To support this, we hold formal parent-teacher meetings in Terms 1 and 3 and provide school reports in Terms 2 and 4.

In addition, teachers and parents regularly connect throughout the year to discuss student progress, celebrate successes, and address any areas of concern.

Teachers are available after school on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays for brief conversations with parents. If a discussion is likely to require more than a few minutes, we kindly ask that you contact the teacher via phone or email to arrange a suitable appointment time for before or after school.

We also ask that parents respect staff workspaces and refrain from entering classrooms when teachers are not present. Thank you for your support.

Grade 5/6 Camp

Our Year 5 and 6 students will be leaving for a 3-day camp at Mt Evelyn next Wednesday.

Staff and students are very excited and looking forward to the great adventures that await them

Prep 2027 Enrolments

Prep enrolments have opened on the online new enrolment platform called Insight.

Applications are now open for Preps starting in 2027 and the portal will close on Friday July 31.

For more information about enrolments, please visit our school website or, call Laura at the office.

We wish you all an excellent weekend!

Cross Country

Last Thursday our students had a fun filled morning competing in the annual house cross country.

Our students displayed terrific sportsmanship cheering each other on and trying their best.

Thank you to Miss Price for organising the event and to all the families who came along and cheered our students.

Nerida Burns and Cameron White

Congratulations to the following students who received a “Student of the Week” award.

Sharvil 0A – For showing improvement in his understanding of letter sounds and applying them during writing tasks. Keep up the great work.

Hatsuki 0B – For consistently demonstrating wonderful resilience by entering the classroom each morning with a happy and confident attitude. Your positive start to the day shows you are ready to learn and shines as a fantastic example for others-keep it up!

Dharsha 0C – doing so well during cross country on Thursday. She finished the race strongly. Look forward to her future bravery.

Imogen 0C – For being brave and independent with writing and dictating sentences. You continue to challenge yourself and be a star.

Elliott 1A – For always giving 110% in everything he does and approaching all classroom tasks with positivity and resilience. Elliott consistently sets a wonderful example for his peers through his enthusiastic attitude towards learning.

Isabella 1A – For being super enthusiastic and encouraging toward others during cooking this week, Isabella brought such positive energy into the kitchen. She was quick to support her classmates and celebrate their efforts. Well done, Isabella!!

Cameron 1B – For your amazing effort with skip counting all the way to 50 by 2’s! I am so proud of you and your hard work.

Ivy 1B – For your amazing resilience, courage and determination while overcoming the challenges of a broken leg. Your positive attitude and perseverance to learning has been so inspiring to both your teachers and classmates.

Arya 1C – for doing a wonderful job using predicting sentences during reading tasks. You think carefully about what might happen next and share your ideas with confidence. Well Done!

Skanda 1C – for challenging yourself in your learning and always trying your best in the classroom. You should be very proud of the progress you are making. Keep up the great work!

Thomas 2A – For creating an amazing Tasmanian Devil diagram packed with detail and creativity! It has been fantastic to see your listening, focus, and effort improving each week and showing in the work you are producing. Keep up the awesome work!

Alicia 2B – For creating a spectacular Tasmanian Devil diagram full of detail, creativity and neat labels. Your effort and drawing skills really stood out. Well done, Alicia!

Shreyas 2C – for showing fantastic enthusiasm at Cross Country, jumping right into the spirit of the day, and keeping a big smile while giving his best effort from start to finish. Well done!!

Ryker 3A – For the dedication you have shown to your learning this term. We are so impressed with the way you are asking questions to support your understanding and applying yourself in all learning tasks. Keep up the awesome work, Ryker!

Sai 3A – For your enthusiastic and reflective responses during our Indigenous reading activities this week. Your thoughtful contributions to our class discussions and your ability to make meaningful connections to the texts showed excellent engagement and curiosity in your learning. Well done!

Cara 3B – For always showing outstanding manners in the classroom, working beautifully on all tasks and for her strong involvement and thoughtful answers during the State Library Research session about reliable and unreliable websites.

Emmy 3B – Being a wonderful role model to all the students in the class by showing all the school values, every day, including community mindedness, kindness and responsibility. She always puts 100% into every activity, shows pride in her presentation and has shone in her understanding of researching topics and Indigenous mentor texts. Congratulations!

Sayaka 4A – For an amazing start to her first two weeks at GHPS. She has formed friendships with ease and has shown great effort in her writing and spelling.

Lia 4A – For her contributions to our class discussions, always offering her thoughts and ideas with such motivation in all our learning areas. Keep it up, Lia!

Madeline 4B – For your outstanding ability to identify deep symbolism in our class novel. You thoughtfully explained how the light reflecting off the armour represented how the main character saw himself as protected yet ultimately realised he had to rescue himself. Your insightful thinking and willingness to share your ideas enriched our class discussions and demonstrated strong comprehension skills. Well done!

Jaina 5A – For your outstanding attitude in class. You consistently add to class discussions and put in maximum effort when undertaking a task. You’re a very valued member of 5/6A.

Audrey 6A – For great courage in taking on new challenges, even when things feel difficult. You have been working hard to step outside her comfort zone, participate more confidently in class, and continue trying your best no matter the situation.  Keep believing in yourself — your growth and effort have not gone unnoticed.

Lola 6B – For her excellent communication with teachers and outstanding effort during Cross Country.

Robin 5C – for her consistent effort in classwork and discussions. You always show the school values in and outside the classroom. Great job, Robin!

Book Fair @GHPS

A huge and heartfelt thank you to Martina and Hayley for giving your time, energy, and care to help make hundreds of scones for our Mother’s Day breakfast. Your effort behind the scenes made such a difference, and it truly didn’t go unnoticed.

We’re also incredibly grateful to our wonderful Kitchen Club members — Luluo, Archit, Tommy, and Ava — for your teamwork, enthusiasm, and support throughout the whole process. It was a big job, and you all stepped up in such a fantastic way.

Events like this simply wouldn’t be possible without the generosity and dedication of people like you. Thank you all for helping create something so special for our community.

Ruth Kinyua

TheirCare News

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Calendar 2026

Term 2

May

Wed 13     Grade 5/6 camp

Tue 19      TheirCare Community Breakfast

Tue 19      Education Week open night

Wed 20   Open morning

Fri 22      Year 5/6 Lightening Premiership

June

Mon 8       Kings Birthday Public Holiday

Tue 9         Curriculum Day

Wed 10    First Responders Appreciation Day

Fri 12        Teeth on Wheels Senior

Tue 16      Teeth on Wheels Junior

Fri 19        Jump Rope for Heart

Fri 19        Reports Distributed

Fri 26       End of term 2 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.