Newsletter #6 May 7 2020

Glen Huntly Primary School > Newsletter #6 May 7 2020

Principal’s Report

As we come to the end of week 4 with all of us now “remote learners”, our staff have been reflecting on the huge amount of learning they are working through every day; with their students, with their team, with the Department of Education and with their own families too.

Everyone is doing such an amazing job and I feel proud every day of what everyone is achieving. They have been evaluating student learning needs every day based on feedback and what they are discussing in team meetings. Identifying the next steps for remote learning has included designing many new ways to provide suitable curriculum for each of the key learning areas and supporting students to connect as strongly as possible with the learning in class.

As a school, we hold scheduled and frequent year level meetings to obtain feedback from staff on students about achievement and of concern and we ensure that we follow up with families about any information we are provided with to improve how everything is going.

We have shared successes and challenges about set tasks and how both students and parents are coping with the number of self-directed learning tasks as well as managing changes to all that is happening. We continue with our meeting schedule using Microsoft teams or WebEx and staff have collaboratively opted into building their capabilities in the delivery of remote teaching and learning. So just like all of our students, we have been learning lots of new things too and making it the best we can for our wonderful GHPS Community.

We have shared some wonderful reflections together as a staff about the supreme talents of our teams and students, here’s just a few snippets of what they have said. PS. It goes without saying that we are missing you all very much!

Prep team

  • first webex was a great success
  • students are listening well and are quietly concentrating
  • compass use is very good by the parents and more are using it
  • Prep Team are doing a fab job

Year 1:

  • Everyone is doing a great job with very impressive teamwork
  • The team shared a very happy Aloha Wednesday link that I’m sure cheered you all up- definitely lots of teachers missing their students
  • They will be trying whole class story time to look forward to this week.

Year 2:

  • We have started webex with our whole classes and with small groups and we’ve enjoyed seeing everyone’s faces!
  • The small group work is amazing and going well
  • The teachers plan and meet on line every morning and afternoon
  • They are enjoying planning great activities for their students

Year 3:

  • The team and the students are doing a great job
  • all students are now on the google classroom
  • going really smoothly
  • the students are doing great stuff

Year 4:

  • Sensational progress this week and last week
  • The communications are now being more easily understood and the teachers are using videos whenever we can to check-in with students which has been extremely valuable
  • reading sessions are going well and so Google Classroom and GC Assignment platforms
  • The daily Planners have become more visual and graphic with less text.

Year 5:

  • daily roll call on teams is working really well and the teachers enjoy going through the daily planner in detail
  • the teachers are encouraging all students to be on at 9am
  • hey are enjoying the small group conferences
  • spelling tests are online and work is being submitted as requested
  • students are doing a great job in adapting

Year 6:

  • daily roll call and discussing work tasks with the students lets the teachers know all students are travelling well
  • they are finding resources for all students so there is extension and challenge
  • students are being really accountable and capable
  • the teachers are sending out a list of tasks for submission each week to parents via compass
  • they are giving give timely feedback including correcting work which takes a lot of time

Specialists:

Abby Lee – enjoying her Japanese work at home.

  • have given students time to adjust to online learning with each of their specialist subjects
  • the teachers have been discussing how the students can best embrace doing their tasks
  • love to see more work submitted, especially those in the upper grades
  • they have met with the 5 and 6 student teams and it was nice to touch base
  • encourage students to submit something this week

Aishani 2L

Remote Learning Review Survey for Parents

Staff, in conjunction with members of school council, are working on putting out a survey for parents to review remote learning and gain some insight into how it is going for you. This will be via Compass and will be out shortly, please complete the survey when you see it, so we can gather practical feedback and expand our understanding of learning at this time. The collation of feedback and insights will be reviewed by staff and school council. These reflections will also be used as part of the 2020 Annual Implementation Plan Mid – Year Monitoring and we appreciate you completing it.

As always, if you have any positive or constructive feedback for us, please contact us to discuss or email us at glenhuntly.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

To all our wonderful mothers- we wish you a very happy Mothers’ day and hope that you all know how special you are!

We hope that you enjoy a very different mothers’ day this year but have a lovely day all the same!

Libby Alessi     Principal

School Council Report

Hello all,

Who could have predicted when I last wrote in Term 2 that we would be home schooling our kids at home. In times of such uncertainty I hope you are all keeping well. It’s important to focus on wellbeing of you and your family as number one. Please don’t put too much pressure on yourself when it comes to home schooling. The most important thing is your wellbeing.

Due to social distancing requirements, School Council had our meeting using the video conferencing tool WebEx. It was nice to see the teams faces. Meetings like these are always better in person but it was important to keep these meetings and the School Council work moving forward.

Impact of COVID-19

The School is following the Education Department and Victorian Governments guidelines on when School can return. I know many parents including myself will be keeping a close eye on this and the School will communicate this with you all as soon as we can.

There will be some impacts to School Events and this will be communicated to you in the coming weeks as we know more. The scheduled 2020 school review has been postponed until a later date.

The Council sub committee meetings will still go ahead in a digital format until it is safe to meet in person.

ARM reporting meeting

Libby presented the Schools 2019 Annual Report to the School Council. It is pleasing to know that the School is under such incredible leadership and capable hands.

Feedback survey for Online Learning

The School will send out a survey requesting feedback on online learning. I am sure many of you would have provided feedback already.  The more feedback the School can receive the better so please be sure to fill it out.

TheirCare contract extended

I am pleased to let you know TheirCare’s contract to provide Before and After Care services has been extended by 2 years. They have been doing a wonderful job and are a great asset and service for parents. Like many industries, childcare have affected in a major way by COVID so it’s pleasing to be able to give TheirCare some commitment from the School.

Capital works progressing

The masterplanning is still continuing on the Capital works program. We hope to share some more news with you in the following months.

The next School Council meeting will be on Monday 20 May 2020.

If there is any issue any member of the school community would like to raise with School Council, please email glenhuntly.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

Ross Donnan     School Council President

Congratulations to the following students who received a ‘Student of the Week’ award during the past 2 weeks.

Krisha 4R – For your hard work and diligence during online learning. You have been consistently completing all tasks on time and to a high standard, and have been actively asking questions and seeking feedback. I was particularly impressed by your Science explanation of the water cycle, and how this connects to the Science experiments we have been doing this term. Keep up the amazing work, Krisha! Congratulations for setting such a fantastic example to all students!

Retal 5O – a continued positive attitude to all class tasks.

Lakshita 6J – For demonstrating a lovely positive spirit while completing learning tasks from home.

Jaymeet 6J – For striving for excellence each and every day. You should be so proud of your work ethic! Keep up the fantastic work!

Samarth 6P – For being organised with all of his learning and communicating well with his peers and teachers online.

Yuto 6P – For being persistent with all his learning tasks this week. Keep it up!

MAV Learning from Home Resources for Parents

Click the following links for some great resources

MAV-Maths-is-all-around-you-top-5-tips

7-top-tips-for-parents

MS Fundraiser

Our Year 1 teaching team have signed up for The May 50k!

Their goal is to walk 400km + during the month of May to say goodbye to MS!

Not only are they raising money for a great cause but thought it would be a good way to stay connected as a team, keep fit and challenge themselves during this unusual time!

If you would like to donate click the link below. It would be greatly appreciated

https://www.themay50k.org/fundraisers/Year1DreamTeam

#themay50k #year1dreamteam #kissgoodbyetoms

Sport News

Some highlights from P.E. this week with Preps – Grade 2.

Lots of underarm throwing practice and skipping!

Bavindu PN

Vidhaan PS

Harvey 1A

Avyaan 1R

Excellent work everyone!

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

Grade 5 News

Refraction – By Austin  5O

Refraction is the change in direction of a wave. It is caused by the change in the wave’s speed. This happens to light and sound waves. This happens because refraction is the bending of light. Light travelled from the air, through the front of the glass, through the water, through the back of the glass and then back through the air, before hitting the picture. Whenever light passes from one medium into another, it refracts. Did you know the glass acts like a magnifying glass also? When the arrows are close to the glass it shows it in the same direction. When the arrows are moved further away the direction of the arrows change.

 

Light passes through the glass of water, which acts like a magnifying glass. Then the light bends in the centre. Where the light comes together, is your focal point. Past this point, the arrows show reversed. The light rays bend past each other. Light on the right side is now on the left side and left on right. This makes the arrows look reversed.

Grade 4 News

ICE DRAGON

Through the cold town, over silk white snow, pounded London, a newborn arctic fox wrapped in her icy hands. She ran faster than the wind straight to the horse stables, grabbed Crystal’s saddle and rode off, still clutching the arctic fox in one hand.

Icy crystals splattered over the silky snow. The carpet of crystals was too thick to get through. Crystal tried to move her hoof out of the frosty earth.

While London was on Crystal’s back, a sound growled through the thick snowy trees. A cold wave tickled down her spin. A sudden mist gathered which left Crystal, London and the arctic fox frozen in the frosty mist, as a giant reptile crept out of the frost and lunged at Crystal. She dodged, unable to pounce. The large figure lunged once again. Crystal shrank, afraid she would injure London or the arctic fox. London bent down and persuaded her to try, no matter what happened.

Through the mist, she saw a rich, red bird glide through the fog and attack the creature. London could scarcely make out the bird but it sure was a life saver. Then it flew onto London’s shoulder and she whispered, “Thank you,” to the flaming, red bird as it flew off. London saw that the bird was a phoenix. Once more, the creature let out a last deafening cry then sunk to the ground, leaving the three alone to continue the journey home to the hollow village.

Crystal galloped north until she reached the smallest cottage in the village. London jumped off her back and patted her fur. “Take the fox south to the stables, I’ll meet you after dinner with lots of apples and a piece of steak,” said London, strapping the fox onto the saddle. Crystal galloped south as London saw the faraway image of the phoenix swiftly flying over the forest.

By Emily  4R

Grade 1 News

Parents and kids alike are having a great time participating in the Year 1 Remote Learning Program.

This week we made parachutes and tested to see which one could stay in the air the longest.

   

It looks like the Gevaux family had a great time joining in!

Mrs Murnane

Prep News

Aryana – drew a beautiful picture of a butterfly and labelled it as we are learning about minibeasts.

Audrey – a photo of her cooking Anzac biscuits last week.

Everyone is working hard.

    

Calendar

MAY

Sun 10          Mother’s Day

 

Information for Prospective Students 2021

Glen Eira College welcomes families to learn about Glen Eira College.  We are sorry that we cannot show you around in person at this time but certainly look forward to meeting with you in person in the future.

Prospectus – Please contact the college on 95717838 or send an email to glen.eira.co@edumail.vic.gov.au and we will send you a prospectus.

Meeting with our Principal – Join a Webex meeting with our Principal, Sheereen Kindler, to learn more about Glen Eira College.

  • Wednesday 6th May 3.30pm
  • Tuesday 12th May 1.30pm
  • Wednesday 20th May 3.30pm
  • Tuesday 26th May 1.30pm

Please contact the college for to book your place.  We will send you the link to the meeting.

Please view our website for detailed information about our Year 6 to 7 enrolment and transition and process.  The following hyperlinks will take you directly to information that may be of interest to prospective parents and students:

We hope this assist you.  Do not hesitate to contact the college at any time.  Our Principal, Sheereen Kindler, looks forward to speaking with you.

Click the following link – https://www.entertainment.com.au/orderbooks/187m901

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