Principal's Report
Family Getaway Weekend
It was so lovely to hear about the wonderful weekend our Gardenvale families enjoyed on the Bellarine Peninsula! I am reliably told that, due to popular demand, our families were spread across two campgrounds! Despite the weather not always being on our side, it sounds like everyone had a fantastic time, relaxing, having fun and making some lovely memories together. A heartfelt thank you to the organising committee for the time and effort that went into making the weekend possible. Events like these are a wonderful way to strengthen the connections between our families and build on the strong sense of community that makes Gardenvale so special.
Year 3 Working Bee
The Senior Campus looked spick and span after our Year 3 Working Bee on Sunday 18th October! Some of the tasks completed included: whipper snipping, remodelling a garden bed, weeding, cleaning drains, pruning, and blowing. We are so grateful to all the parents and children that were able to help out. It is very gratifying to drive away from the school knowing everything looks so much nicer, cleaner and well cared for!
Thank you to the following school community members and families for helping to make our Senior Campus look extra neat and tidy: Elizabeth Blunt, Asaf Brukarz, John Donaldson, Tom Hope-Johnstone, Amber and Scott Johns, Ella Jungerth, Elena Korol, Tom Rich, Lauren and Rob Jarvis, Jen Robinson, Alana and Paul Stewart, Tuminello Family and Katherine Williamson. Sincere apologies if your name is not on this list but we appreciate your help all the same!
World Gardenvale Staff Day – Celebrating Our Amazing Team
This Friday, 30th October, we will celebrate World Teachers’ Day and, at Gardenvale Primary School, we will also take the opportunity to recognise and thank all our wonderful staff as part of ‘World Gardenvale Staff Day’.
Our school is a special place because of the many people who work together to support our students. From teaching and learning, to inclusion, administration, ICT, library and all the work that happens behind the scenes, every staff member plays an important role in making Gardenvale the welcoming and supportive community it is.
We are very fortunate to have such a dedicated team who work hard each day to help our students learn, grow and feel valued. Along with, our wonderful PFA , we have organised a special morning tea for staff this Friday, which is a lovely way to show our appreciation.
Families are also welcome to share a little message of thanks with staff. A few kind words can go a long way in making someone feel valued and appreciated.
Thank you to all our Gardenvale staff for everything you do for our students and school community!
Reminder: Creating Healthy Habits – Parent Information Evening
The ‘Creating Healthy Habits’ Parent Information Evening is on tomorrow night, Wednesday 28th October at 7.30pm in the Junior Hall.
Join us for a practical and informative session with Daniel Taylor from the eSmart Schools team, who will share simple strategies to help families navigate the online world with their children. Topics include starting conversations early, setting up parental controls and developing healthy family technology habits.
We encourage parents to come along and take away some useful tips to support their children online. If you haven’t booked, please book at the following link:
https://compasstix.com/event/e3d452a1-90ff-49e9-b390-dbdb243efc43
Japanese Day
We are all getting ready for a fabulous day of Japanese activities and celebrations at our whole-school Japanese Day this Thursday! The day will begin with a parade at the Senior Campus at 9.10am, and parents are most welcome to join us for this special occasion. A huge thank you to Sensei Nishikawa for the many, many hours of work she has put into preparing what promises to be a wonderful day for our students!
Prep Excursion
Our Preps had a wonderful day exploring the Zoo! The weather was absolutely perfect, making it an ideal day to discover and learn about the amazing animals. There was plenty of excitement, curiosity and lots of smiles as the children enjoyed this special experience together. A lovely day out for our youngest Gardenvale students!
Year 5 Excursion
A big thank you to one of our parents, Ronald Frankowski, for making it possible for our Year 5 students to enjoy a fabulous and worthwhile excursion to Moose Toys. The Year 5 teachers couldn’t speak more highly of the experience, describing it as being like a visit to Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory! We are so grateful to Ronald for providing our students with such a memorable and exciting opportunity. Please read a full account of the day further in the newsletter.
Swimming Program
Our Year 3 to 5 Swimming Program at Waves Swimming Pool commences Wednesday 4th November and will conclude on Friday 13th November. Then it will be our Junior Campus students' turn to be involved in the swimming program for 9 sessions from Monday 16th November.
Have a lovely fortnight,
Janine hall