Dear Families,

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for being so supportive with the staggered start and finish times, as well as maintaining our social distancing requirements. Whilst we know it is not easy and somewhat counter-intuitive, families have respected the situation we are presented with and responded positively. Keep up the good work!

I know many families will be wondering about what happens with…Camp? Sacraments? Graduation? Cross Country? Hoop Time? Swimming lessons? Excursions? And more. Right now it is a bit early to have the answers for you, but please know we are constantly giving considerations to all aspects of our school operations, which for now are guided by the appropriate authorities. As it stands, we will continue with the current restrictions in place and each week revise what we can with any new information. We are not planning for any major changes to the current restrictions before the end of Term 2. We appreciate everyone’s patience and understanding during this time.

Next Friday 26 June is the last day of Term 2. Please note it is an early finish on this day. We will continue with staggered finishing times in the following format:

Siblings - 1pm

Prep/Year 1 - 1:10pm

Year 2/Year 3 - 1:15pm

Year 4-6 - 1:20pm

Ensure you book into TheirCare if you can not collect your child by 1.30pm.

Drop Off and Dismissal Times

MORNING DROP OFF

8:35am Siblings (family groups) arrive
Prep siblings are to enter via Learning St gate and go straight to their classroom
Years 1-6 siblings enter via main gate and line up on the basketball court with their teacher
8:40am - 8:50am All non siblings arrive. Preps enter via Learning St gate and go straight to their classroom Year 1-6 enter via main gate and line up on the basketball court with their teacher

AFTERNOON PICK UP

3:00pm - All family groups (siblings) from Prep-Year 6 (including twins, triplets etc)
3:10pm - Non-siblings Prep/Year 1
3:15pm - Non-siblings Year 2 and 3
3:20pm - Non-siblings Year 4-6

Reports

Semester 1 Reports will be sent home next Thursday 25 June. Earlier this term, it was communicated that this report will look different from previous reports. Following the advice of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), Victorian Department of Education and Training, and Catholic Education Commission of Victoria Ltd (CECV), and collaboration between our Learning and Teaching Team, this report will provide:

a description of the areas of the Victorian Curriculum F–10 taught in Semester 1 (Subject Overview)
a succinct descriptive assessment of student learning achievement, based on the Achievement Standards in the Victorian Curriculum F–10 (Achievement Dot Points)
a comment on how your child has adjusted to the remote and flexible learning environment, with reference to the ‘Personal and Social Capability’ curriculum (General Comment).

We would ask you to appreciate that the content on which we report is reduced, as the usual assessments undertaken in the everyday classroom have not been possible this term.

Teachers have used a broad evidence-base to make their own balanced assessments of your child’s progress at this point in time. Such evidence includes: Term 1 assessments, student-led conversations, home learning tasks, teacher observations, notes and work samples.

There will be an opportunity to discuss your child's report with their teacher at the Parent Teacher Conferences in Term 3. Parent Teacher Conferences will take place Monday 20 July (with an early finish from 1pm) and Wednesday 22 July. Meeting times are yet to be finalised as we are waiting to hear if the government will lift restrictions next week and whether the conferences will be face-to-face or video conference.

Learning and Teaching

Photos from Art:

In 4F we have been learning about Africa. We have been reading fiction and non-fiction texts about the location, culture, the grasslands and the animals. Last week we created a scene from Africa that included the grasslands. We used paper to create their scenes. They have certainly brightened up our classroom!

Excellent News!

Five years ago I was really sick with bone marrow cancer. I was so scared and had to have a stem cell transplant to save my life. Stem cells are our special building blocks that can be turned into anything like skin cells, liver cells, blood cells and brain cells. Last week I went to the hospital for my usual check-up and my doctor told me that I was cancer free. Now I’m no longer in danger of getting the cancer again. Everyone at my school has been so supportive over the years while I was still recovering. I will never forget it. I am so proud to be from Galilee. It is the best school in the world!

Aiden Year 5

Building Works

In previous correspondence we have communicated information about an early start to our building project. New learning spaces are being constructed in the space previously occupied by Year Six. The new learning spaces to be created are: 3 classrooms, creative/STEM/Art space, story-telling area and a quiet room. How are we creating so many new spaces? Previously we had a corridor that was 4 metres wide that will now be used for learning. The new space will be a similar design to the remainder of the project (multi-purpose hall with rooftop classrooms and playground). The new classrooms will be occupied by Year 6 and one Year 5 class. The project is progressing ahead of schedule with furniture due to be moved in from Wednesday June 24. The new spaces will be fully operational by the students by the first day of Term 3. Thank-you to the Year 6 teachers and students for working in the Hall over the last two weeks. What do we gain?

An extra classroom that will assist us greatly when the major project begins.
Contemporary learning spaces.
Collaborative and transparent spaces.
An opportunity to see what the roof of the multi-purpose hall will look like.
Our Year 6 students will get to experience the new facilities before they leave.
Lighter working spaces with additional reverse cycle a/cs.

Please note that new joinery will not be added until planning for the multi-purpose hall is complete. See some photos of the continuing work below. Tomorrow I will take the Year 5 & 6 students on a tour of the new facility.

Seasons For Growth

The program:

supports children to understand and respond well to the issues they experience as a result of death, separation, divorce or other significant change and loss in their lives
assists children to understand that their feelings and other reactions are normal
develop skills for coping, problem solving and decision making
build a peer support network
help restore self-confidence and self-esteem educates children about the grief process.

Seasons is an 8 week program for groups of up to 6 children, with sessions running for approximately one hour each week.

PEACEFUL KIDS

The Peaceful Kids program will continue to be facilitated in the school.

The aims of the program is to:
build emotional resilience
empower children to self-manage their emotions
teach children Mindfulness exercises they can use for life
teach children to use a range of effective coping strategies
teach children to self calm
develop emotional intelligence skills.

Peaceful Kids is a 5-8 week program for groups of 4 children, with sessions running for approximately one hour each week.

New classes will begin at the start of Term 3, if you are interested in your child/ren joining either of the groups or would like further information please contact: Jane Ferris -jferris@gsm.vic.edu.au

Lunch Orders

Lunch orders can be ordered online daily by 9am, via www.flexischools.com.au. If your child has a specialist subject before lunch, we recommend you don't order a hot lunch on that day.

Sacrament of Reconciliation 2020

The Parish of St Peter and St Paul South Melbourne has rescheduled the date and the structure of the Sacrament of Reconciliation due to the rules of practice within churches due to COVID-19.

In 3rd Term on Tuesday 21st July the children from Galilee, who are to receive the sacrament will be escorted to the Church in small groups of ten students. This will be conducted in alphabetical order, firstly with students in 3L followed by the students in 3M. The students will be socially distanced in the church. They will use hand sanitiser before and after entering the church. (Please note that if your child is unwell, they will need to make this sacrament on another date.)

Parents please note that you will be given an approximate time your child will be at the church if you wish to attend your child’s reception of the sacrament.

The students are required to wear their full school uniform. (Please note that if this is normally a Sport Day for your child, this PE lesson will be changed to another day.)

This will be a very special day for the students. We look forward to a wonderful celebration of this sacrament.

Kind regards,

Father John Spiteri, Sue Kidd, Helen Rochecouste, Bianca Latto, Laura Mason

Writing

Kids News are running a Writing Competition.

It was open from May 11th and closes Friday July 3rd.

It involves parent consent and it has to be uploaded by a registered teacher.

The details are on the following link (there are different age groups P-2, 3-4, 5-6).

https://www.kidsnews.com.au/arts/2020-kids-news-short-story-competition-put-your-thinking-caps-on-for-a-winning-entry/news-story/90085f573492328454b2d289999acf4c

GOSH - TheirCare

Last week we dedicated the week to learning, understanding and gaining more knowledge about Aboriginal culture. The children added their own art pieces and written work to our display.

Maya became really interested in creating Aboriginal art and even had a brainwave and made an Aboriginal facts display to make children and educators aware of some information that they might not already know. I am so very proud of Maya and the other children in how committed, creative and enthusiastic they are to learn new things and get inspired.

Outdoor play is what excites the children everyday. The sandpit has been busy - Sofia, Henry, Sarah and Roger have been building sand castles and tunnels.

Sarah, Sofia and Zoe had lots of fun adding in paint patterns, hand-prints and coloured dots to the 'We Belong' art poster.

Overall we had such an amazing week learning and gaining more understanding about the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Culture.

TheirCare will be open on Friday June 26 from 1pm to cater for the staggered pick-ups from 1:00-1:30pm to conclude Term Two.

Joke of the Week!

Simon Millar

Principal

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