Principals Report

By Frank Catalano

Dear Members of the Glen Waverley Primary School Community,

I trust all is well with you and your family, welcome to the final newsletter for Term Two and the end of the first half of the school year. I’m not sure if this is because I am getting older, however at this stage of the year I am amazed that we are at the end of June and ponder, “Where does the time go as it seems like ‘yesterday’ we started the school year?”

Never the less, thank you everyone for the manner in which you have supported our school and the children throughout semester one as we all should be incredibly proud of one another and our school.

Below is an overview of some of the highlights this fortnight:

Staffing Update:

As we move into Semester Two, please welcome the following staff to our school:

Aimee Scanlan who will be teaching Prep E, as Adriana Parsons will be commencing Family Leave shortly
Esther Wang who is returning after being on Family Leave and
Ying Li who will teaching Mandarin and also supporting students who are learning English as their second language.

Thank you to the following staff for their contribution to our school and may I take another opportunity to wish them well with their future endeavours:

Ying Ling and Samantha Graham who are transferring to Toorak College and Donvale PS respectively.

Student Learning Awards

As a school community it is very important that we acknowledge and celebrate the wonderful achievements of our staff, parents and students. One way of accomplishing this is by participating in award ceremonies throughout the year and also at the end of each term. Our end of term award is provided by the Kiwanis Club of Waverley and we are extremely grateful for their continued support to our school in the form of the Terrific Kids program. The program is a student recognition program that promotes character development, self-esteem, and perseverance. At our school the teachers nominate one student from each area of the school – Preps, 1/2, 3/4 and 5/6.

Congratulations to the following students who received The Terrific Kids Award for Term Two 2021:

Prep: Farhan - Prep A

Congratulations to Farhan of Prep A! Throughout Semester One, Farhan has consistently demonstrated all the qualities of a TERRIFIC kid! He is a thoughtful and kind classmate, always on the watch to help others in need. When his peers are unsure of what to do, he will actively assist and help them through the task. Farhan does not seek recognition for the good deeds that he performs; he does it through the goodness of his heart, making his actions genuine. He is a responsible student, consistently showing initiative particularly when it comes to maintaining an orderly classroom environment. Through learning tasks, Farhan demonstrates great enthusiasm and motivation to do his best, is aware of his learning goals and applies these to his learning independently. It is always wonderful to see his friendly and inclusive nature come through during playtime, as he readily welcomes others into his games. Well done Farhan on demonstrating, not only the values of the Kiwanis Award, but also the School Values consistently throughout your learning!

Level 2: Eliana - 2E

Throughout Semester One, Eliana has consistently demonstrated an exceptional passion for learning. She consistently strives to achieve her best in all areas and seeks feedback to further elevate her work. Eliana has demonstrated excellent leadership skills, she collaborates with her peers in a respectful manner and assists her classmates to ensure they achieve success too. Eliana, you should be so proud of all your achievements this semester and keep up the positive attitude. Well done!

Level 4: Ileesha - 4A

The Level Four Kiwanis Terrific Kid Award is awarded to Ileesha in 4A for always displaying courtesy, respect and kindness in our community. Your learning continues to be of an exceptionally high standard. You consistently strive towards being an incredibly self-regulated learner by challenging yourself, having a growth mindset and powering through with persistence and grit. You spoke with confidence, pride and passion in Mandarin when presenting at our Education Week assembly. Your science experiment and video content during LFH 4.0 have been highly engaging, entertaining and informative. You have certainly proven yourself to be an outstanding role model of integrity, initiative and striving for excellence this year. Huge Congratulations Ileesha!

Level 6: Saseni - 6B

Saseni, you have been a great role model throughout your school journey and have demonstrated a high level of integrity and respect in everything you do and toward everyone you meet. You uphold your responsibilities with the highest regard and always ensure that everything is done to the best of your ability. You continuously bring joy and enthusiasm to your peers and we are sure your peers agree. Congratulations on such a great achievement and you should be extremely proud of yourself Saseni!

Principal Learning Awards

As Principal, I also believe that it is very important that I acknowledge the wonderful learning the students complete and as a result I have a term award for each class.

Congratulations to the following students who received The Principal’s Learning Award for Term Two:

Saheli	Prep A	Congratulations Saheli! You have consistently shown engagement, motivation, and enthusiasm towards your learning! You apply persistence to ensure you complete tasks on time and have demonstrated resilience as a learner as you attempt tasks even when you find them challenging. It has been wonderful to see you apply your learning goals, which has seen you make great progress, particularly in writing. You have continued to broaden your friendships in the classroom, which can be attributed to your friendly and kind nature. It is no wonder that many of your classmates ask to play with you, as you are always willing to accept others in your game with a welcoming smile! Well done for a fantastic term and I hope you keep up the amazing learning!
Ritisha	Prep B	Ritisha has made such wonderful progress over the course of the semester, both academically and socially. She has embraced her challenges and graciously listens to feed forward to improve her skills across all learning areas. Ritisha has improved her resilience in learning and now enthusiastically approaches new tasks with a positive ‘can do’ attitude. She consistently aims for her personal best every time, completing her learning to a high standard and reflects on her success as she explains her knowledge in any given task. Ritisha is friendly and kind, she engages with all her peers by greeting them respectfully and supporting their achievements and efforts with her positive comments. Ritisha, you are a fantastic role model and we are so proud you are a member of Prep B and GWPS!
Theo	Prep C	Theo is a dedicated and hardworking learner who demonstrates our school values of integrity and respect. He has built positive relationships amongst his peers and always offers a helping hand to someone that is in need. His dedication to his learning has been nothing short of impressive, as he has approached each task with a “can do” attitude. Theo is an excellent communicator and story teller who enjoys contributing to class discussions and group work. He has shown great progress in all areas of his learning, especially in Reading and Writing. He continues to consolidate his fluency skills and accuracy skills, as well as work on the organisation of his writing. Theo has shown consistency in his work and this has been evident when he transitioned from face to face classes to Learning from Home. He has demonstrated outstanding leadership qualities, thus being selected as a member of Junior School Council (JSC). Congratulations Theo on a wonderful term, keep up the great work.
Jayden	Prep D	Jayden is a dedicated and hardworking learner in Prep D. He demonstrates persistence in his learning as he always ‘has a go’ at all tasks even when they seem challenging. Jayden displays remarkable concentration, as he sees through tasks to completion even when there are distractions in his surroundings. He always responds to teacher feedback with positive intentions, and works hard to achieve his learning goals. It was wonderful to see him explain his thinking using ‘Concrete Strategies’ when measuring the length of different objects, and link his thinking to the SURF proficiency of Reasoning. Jayden’s determination and attitude towards learning is incredible. Well done Jayden!
Shlok	Prep E	Shlok is a respectful member of Prep E. He shows whole body listening during class discussions. He has shown improvements in all subject areas especially writing. Shlok demonstrates a Growth Mindset when approaching a challenging learning task. He is able to ask for assistance when required which shows what great initiative Shlok has. Congratulations Shlok on a fabulous Term of learning.
Saheli	1A	Saheli sets the bar high for herself, ensuring she works to the best of her ability. She has an enthusiastic and positive attitude towards school and actively participates in all learning tasks. Saheli is a curious student who enjoys learning and thrives on being challenged. She is quietly confident and asks clarifying questions which motivate her to continually deepen her learning. Congratulations and well done Saheli!
Sayoon	1B	Sayoon Herath Mudiyanselage of 1B has received our Term Two 2021, Principal’s Learning Award! Sayoon displayed a great deal of Persistence, in the way he strengthened his English language skills. He took risks and shared his thinking during classroom discussions, actively collaborated with his peers, and regular participated in our Targeted Student Learning program. Furthermore, Sayoon has been a constant beacon of Respect and Initiative within the classroom. He has been polite and thoughtful in the way he communicates with others, and regularly sought out opportunities to support his teacher in organising our learning space. Sayoon, congratulations on an outstanding semester of learning!
Pavirna	1C	Pavirna Mayuran of 1C is receiving the Term Two Principal’s Learning Award. She is a bright and bubbly learner that has thoroughly demonstrated our school values of Respect and Initiative. Pavirna continuously displays whole body listening during floor time, by maintaining eye contact and ignoring all distractions. She further transfers her skills to her table, as she maximises her time by remaining focussed on her learning. It has been wonderful to see Pavirna display her initiative, as she proactively refers back to Anchor Charts and the Success Criteria when needed. Additionally, she is always eager to challenge herself with her learning by progressing through the stages of the ‘Learning Pit’, as well as seeking out feedback to act upon her next steps. Pavirna has made outstanding growth this term and has strengthened her positive learning habits for future success. Congratulations on a fantastic term!
Deion	1D	Congratulations Deion on a fantastic term of learning! It has been incredible to see your progress in writing throughout the semester. You demonstrated growth in your ability to develop independence and apply self-regulation strategies to focus during learning tasks. You take pride in accomplishing tasks to a high standard, by expressing your ideas orally or through visual representations before writing. Throughout the term Deion, you transferred your learning from focus sessions by applying blending and segmenting strategies independently to help you decode and write unfamiliar words. Well done on your outstanding efforts, Deion! Keep up the fabulous attitude!
Sasen	1E	Sasen has created strong connections and friendships in his time at GWPS. His focus in learning time has grown extraordinarily, always listening attentively and participating in class discussions. Sasen is a dedicated learner who always approaches his learning with focus and a growth mindset. He is not afraid to jump into the learning pit and will work through a challenge to find a solution and showing deep thinking. He has embraced learning at GWPS and is accepting of everyone, making friends easily. Congratulations Sasen!
Evin	2A	Evin is a diligent and conscientious learner who demonstrates excellence in all areas of the curriculum and his social and emotional learning. He has a high standard of work ethics and responsibility, utilising his learning opportunities efficiently and effectively. Evin consistently models an exemplary attitude to his education and his community that reflects the school values of Initiative, Respect, Integrity and Global Empathy. He demonstrates the values by showing respect to his peers and teachers, assisting others when they need support and showing gratitude to his teachers and peers. Evin always shows a growth mindset, full of positivity, optimism and enthusiasm who continues to encourage and motivate others to achieve their potential. Evin has demonstrated the attributes and skills of worthy recipient to receive the Principal Learning Award. Congratulations, Evin.
Sandul	2B	The Principal's Learning Award for 2B is awarded to Sandul Hewage. Sandul is a conscientious and respectful learner who interacts kindly with both his teachers and peers. He has particularly excelled in Mathematics this term and has asked valuable questions whenever uncertain of something. Continue to be a caring and thoughtful young man Sandul, as your qualities are unique and much appreciated by your peers and myself. Congratulations on an outstanding term.
Nadar	2C	2C’s Principal’s Learning Award recipient for this term is Nadar Chopra. Nadar is a dedicated student who consistently displays all of the Glen Waverley Primary school values, to an extremely high standard. He challenges himself in all learning endeavours, thriving in both independent and collaborative settings. Nadar is an attentive listener who is organised and works well with all of his peers. Thank you for your fantastic contribution to 2C’s learning community Nadar, your determined approach to learning and caring nature is very much appreciated.
Kyra	2D	Throughout Term Two, Kyra has gone above and beyond to demonstrate her amazing learning. She shows enthusiasm for new challenges in mathematics and literacy and uses her initiative to deal with learning tasks independently. Furthermore, Kyra shares her learnt strategies with her peers to assist those around her to achieve success. You are continuously setting the example for the class, congratulations!!
Aarini	2E	Congratulations to Aarini on receiving this term's Principal's Learning Award. You have shown the skill of persistence when it comes to your learning and have put in an amazing effort to achieve your personalised learning goals. Aarini you have done a great job at showing resilience when chunking new words while reading and discovering new strategies to solve fraction problems. You should be extremely proud of how much your confidence has grown this year, keep up the amazing work Aarini!
Lavviin	3A	Congratulations Lavviin, for demonstrating incredible efforts in Term 2, 2021. You have consistently exhibited a growth mindset and persistence throughout all aspects of your learning journey in Level Three. You have shown inspiring dedication through the use of questioning and any enquiries that you may have, which displays your initiative in your learning. It shows your enthusiasm for utilising our 2021 Foci of 'Curiosity through Challenge.' Lavviin, you should be proud of yourself and the challenges you have overcome this Term. Especially throughout Mathematics where you have taken risks in our deep-thinking concepts and used your Metacognitive skills to achieve this. Your humour and kind-heartedness is a clear example of your positivity towards your peers, always ensuring everyone feels included and having a fun time when you are around. Keep up the fantastic efforts Lavviin, you truly deserve the Principal’s Learning Award this term!
Vanya	3B	Congratulations Vanya for a fantastic term of learning. You have shown exceptional dedication this term during Learning from Home. Vanya you have demonstrated our school values and the foci "Curiosity Through Challenge," while working through the Learning Pit. It has been great to see how you work through the productive struggle while learning new concepts and ask clarifying questions. This is clear evidence of the deep level of thinking and learning you are working at. Well Done Vanya, you should be extremely proud of yourself.
Ryan	3C	Congratulations Ry, for a fantastic term of learning in Grade 3! You have shown that you are always engaged in your learning, by demonstrating active participation in all classroom discussions and being organised during your conferences. You always display the GWPS School Values of Respect and Global Empathy with rigour, by including everyone around you, whether it’s in your learning, or outside during play. You are also a compassionate learner, who cares for all of your friends and classroom peers, by asking how they are and whether they need any help or support. You are also taking risks and challenging yourself in your learning by attempting to reach the Deep Consolidation level of the Success Criteria in each session of learning. I am very proud of your motivation to learn, and how you always keep up the positive attitude and bubbly demeanour towards your learning. Keep up the wonderful efforts, Ry! 😊
Caressa	3D	Caressa has been a model student in 3D, living and breathing our School Values and classroom expectations. She always positions herself close to the front to ensure full attention and actively participates in every lesson. Caressa learns well, both independently and collaboratively, putting her best effort into everything she does. She respects people around her and shows kindness and consideration towards them. Congratulations Caressa, a well-deserved recipient of this Principal's Learning Award!
Chris	3E	You have been a wonderful student in so many ways this term, Chris. It has been fantastic to see your enthusiasm and love for learning come through in everything you do, such as contributing thoughtful ideas to class discussions, sharing you thinking with our success criteria and steps for learning and the effort you put into each and every learning task. It was also great to see that enthusiasm continue while you were learning from home, where you remained motivated and excited to complete all learning tasks. In addition to this, you are consistently a kind, respectful learner who takes initiative and looks for the positive in every situation. You should be very proud of yourself, Chris. We are very lucky to have you as a member of 3E!
Ranveer	4A	This term's Principal’s Learning Award is awarded to Ranveer in 4A for consistently displaying courtesy, pride, respect and kindness in our school community. Your work continues to be of a very high standard. You consistently strive towards being an incredibly self-regulated learner by challenging yourself and modelling this attribute confidently to others. You always apply a growth mindset to everything you tackle and you power through challenges with persistence and inspiring determination. You have proved yourself to be an outstanding role model of leadership, integrity, initiative and striving for excellence. Congratulations Ranveer!
Sahiba	4B	Congratulations on receiving the Principal’s Learning Award, Sahiba! Throughout the year you have consistently demonstrated the GWPS School Values of Initiative, Respect, Getting Along and Integrity. I am extremely impressed with your consistent effort and dedication to all of your learning tasks. You ask questions to both support and extend your learning, and are always trying to go above and beyond! Thank you for always showing attentive listening skills, and for always demonstrating respect towards your teachers and class members. You are such a kind, thoughtful and gentle member of 4B, and we all appreciate you so much! I am extremely proud of you, and I hope that you feel a sense of pride for all that you have achieved this term. Keep up the wonderful work, Sahiba! Congratulations.
Joshua	4C	What a tremendous effort Joshua has put into his learning this term! He has thrived in all the learning tasks and challenges that he has undertaken, by applying a positive attitude and a growth mindset. Joshua is leader in our class, being respectful of others, following the expectations and showing initiative. 4C can always rely on him to lend support with a listening ear. He is committed to his learning, always striving to achieve his best by ‘having a go’ and not being afraid to make a mistake. Congratulations on a wonderful term Joshua, I look forward to seeing all your achievements in the future!
Nethuka	4D	Nethuka has been a fantastic learner in 4D throughout this term. He has demonstrated his best effort and looked for challenge in all areas of his learning. Nethuka has taken on the challenge in inquiry where he has created sustainable alternative to more harmful cleaning products. This was when he created ‘Eco-Bubble’ which was a laundry liquid alternative. Congratulations Nethuka and well done!
Jacqueline	4E	Jacqueline has been a phenomenal learner in 4E this term, exhibiting enthusiasm and persistence towards all areas of her learning journey. She embraces challenges with a positive and open attitude and has a strong commitment to applying a wide variety of strategies in every stage of the learning pit. Jacqueline is a thoughtful and caring learner, eager to support her peers in any way she can and this shines through when she collaborates and shares with her classmates. Well done and congratulations Jacqueline!
Yuvan	5A	This award acknowledges the effort you have put into your academic, social and emotional learning this term. You have complete trust in your teacher and your peers to support you on your learning journey. This is shown by transferring strategies from mini lessons into your own learning, implementing your learning goals and applying feedforward. You demonstrate the qualities of a life-long learner by posing questions to either clarify your thinking or challenge someone else’s. You have strong personal values and you are able to withstand external pressures that could lead to a shift. Congratulations Yuvan, on a well-deserved recognition!
Melody	5B	Melody has demonstrates tremendous dedication to her learning and had done so throughout the semester. She persists through challenges in her every day learning and lends a helping hand to others when she feels confident in the learning task. Melody shares her friendly demeanour with all those around her, and her infectious attitude and zest for life makes her a wonderful learning partner and friend. Congratulations on this wonderful achievement. Keep up the effort to pursue all learning opportunities offered to you, Melody.
Seyara	5C	This Principal's Learning Award is proudly presented to Seyara! Seyara, has an all encompassing innovative spirit that drives her learning. She plans for and applies creative thinking to all aspects of her learning. This means, she often seeks new solutions and collaborates with others to build ideas. Seyara is often seen leading conversations and helping groups to plan their ideas with logical thinking. Alongside this, Seyara continues to deepen her metacognition as she encourages her brain to try multiple strategies when faced with challenges. Her growing confidence shines through in 5C, as she shares her ideas with charisma and wit. Most importantly, Seyara thrives in representing our school values as she leads with absolute empathy allowing her to be a true global citizen! Congratulations Seyara, you should be very proud!
Saanvi	5D	Saanvi is a conscientious student who consistently strives for excellence in her learning. She has proven herself a forward-thinker, creating a multi-modal experience for Inquiry where she invited others to experience what a polar bear’s fur might feel like as part of her presentation on the Tundra biome for Education Week. Saanvi has shown immense maturity this term, maintaining a kind and respectful manner towards all others in whole class discussions and Community Circles, as well as keeping a positive mindset throughout a fourth lockdown. She is a truly deserving recipient of this award. Well done, Saanvi.
Ravindu	5E	Ravindu is a considerate classmate who takes pride in his learning. He continually shows great respect and empathy toward his peers and has great awareness of when someone needs a helping hand. His positive attitude and approach to all that he does both, in and out of the classroom, sets the tone for everyone around him. His frequent collaboration makes him a great communicator and trusted member of the classroom community. Congratulations on a fantastic achievement, you should be proud of what you have achieved this year so far.
Ishika	6A	Ishika is a kind and persistent learner who consistently strives to deepen her understanding and achieve to the highest possible level. She is reflective and thrives when given feedforward to improve her learning, be it a piece of writing or when problem-solving in Maths. She is a well-rounded learner with skills and abilities not only as a learner but as a dancer, musician and athlete. Ishka should be incredibly proud of all she has achieved and all she will continue to accomplish as her learning journey continues. Congratulations Ishika!
Jordan	6B	Congratulations Jordan for receiving this terms Principal’s Learning Award. You have exhibited all the school values since you’ve joined us. This was especially demonstrated through showing the value of Initiative throughout your learning journey and contribution to making connections within your learning community. Your bubbly and enthusiastic personality has brought great joy to your peers. The way you present your leadership skills in the school yard is a testament to your willingness towards your responsibility. Well done Jordan, you should be extremely proud of yourself!
Sanuki	6C	Congratulations Sanuki, on receiving the 6C Principal's Learning Award for Term Two. Sanuki is a dedicated learner who takes great pride in her learning. She regularly seeks and applies feedback and feed forward to ensure she makes progress. Sanuki makes the most of her learning time through being well organised and demonstrating outstanding self-regulation. Her kind, calm demeanour has made her a valued member of the 6C learning community and she has the willingness to work alongside anyone. Well done Sanuki.
Advik (Eddie)	6D	Congratulations to Eddie on being awarded the 6D Principal’s Learning Award for Term 2. This term, you have continued to reflect the qualities of confidence and getting along. When working collaboratively, you always bring a positive attitude towards your group and task. Eddie, you show that you value and respect your peers by being inclusive, allowing each member opportunities to share their thoughts and ideas. Your contribution helps us to build a safe and supportive learning environment. Your skills in getting along were also evident during Interschool Sport, where your kind approach with the opposition enabled you to make new connections with students. Your teachers are so proud of having you represent our school community in such a positive light. Well done on a great term Eddie, and thank you for being such a respectful, inclusive and collaborative learner for others to look up to.
Afsheen	6E	Congratulations Afsheen, for your continual contribution of positivity during the first half of Year Six. You are to be congratulated for your sensational effort in all areas of your learning. You consistently act in a respectful manner and display empathy to those around you. This was especially evident when participating in netball for Interschool Sport. Your teacher and peers are impressed by your continual enthusiasm since the beginning of the year. Throughout the term you have constantly demonstrated your caring nature, positivity and organisation across all areas of your learning. 6E is incredibly fortunate to have a respectful, motivated and collaborative learner like you. Congratulations Afsheen!

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED A PRINCIPAL’S AWARD RECENTLY:

Prep D

Kivain for outstanding writing
Minadi, Chloe and Sahlew for being fantastic friends

Juliana, Veer, Aadyah and Isa for writing about their superhero strengths they used during lockdown

1B:

Kalana, Kevon, Ronith and Parivan for continuing to make excellent progress with their writing

Alexa for writing a letter to the Acting Premier requesting for the children to return to onsite learning

Pooja for drawing a very elaborate picture based on an image from our school website. Can you guess who it is?

Pavirna, Neeraja, Nishita for making excellent progress with their writing

Riaan for drawing a picture of Vincent van Gough

Dhashari and Vinushi for drawing a picture of Ariael from The Little Mermaid
Aalam and Onalee for being very productive members of our school community
Onalee, Arya, Shayel, Tharun, Vinushi and Dhashari for writing very persuasive texts about why GWPS is the best school in the world!

2C:

Himansh, Allegra and Emilia also continuing to make excellent progress with their writing

Swara for amazing home learning
Sophie for being a fabulous friend

Patrick for being a very supportive friend

Lulu and Lilia for creating very informative projects about Penguins and Sloths

Uniform Shop

We now have stock of both styles of beanies available for sale in our Uniform Shop.

Knitted Roll Up Beanie $6.00

Ribbed Beanie $7.00

Shop Opening Hours (During Term) are: Monday 8.30am-10.30am & Wednesday 2.00pm-4.00pm.

You can visit our school website for further information: https://www.glenps.vic.edu.au/page/94/Uniform-Shop

End of Term Reminders

Please be aware of the following reminders for tomorrow and also the first week of Term Three:

Tomorrow

Is the final day of Term Two and the children will be dismissed at 2:30pm. Our After School Care Program will subsequently commence from 2:30pm
The last day of each term is also a “free dress” day and there is no cost to participate.
Childcare (Vacation Care) is available throughout the forthcoming holidays at our school. Please see Meththa (our Out of School Hours Coordinator) to make the necessary arrangements or visit our website: www.glenps.vic.edu.au and follow the links to Before and After School Care.

Term Three:

The commencement of Term Three will be on Monday 12th July 2021 and school will resume for the children at 8.50am.

In closing, for the members of our school community who are travelling during the school holiday period, please do so safely and may I take this opportunity to thank our school community, staff, parents and families for all their support for another successful term, especially as we undertook another learning from home period.

Take care everyone, enjoy the additional time with family and friends and I look forward to seeing you on Monday 12th July, if not earlier.

Frank Catalano

Principal