Message from the Principal 

Last week we enjoyed a fantastic special lunch with the Cheers Toastie Truck, which brought plenty of excitement (and delicious toasted treats!) to the school day. Events like this create a real sense of community and give students something memorable to look forward to. A big shout out to our Parent Association for organising opportunities like this -their effort and commitment help make our school such a connected and G.R.E.A.T. place.

On that note, another huge thank you to our Parent Association for running such a successful second-hand uniform sale. These sales are fast becoming a very significant fundraiser for our school and opportunities like this not only support affordability but also strengthen our sense of community. We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing efforts and the positive impact our Parent Association is having on our school.

SCHOOL UNIFORM

Our uniform dress code reinforces in students a pride in their own appearance, instils recognition of themselves as an integral part of the school community, and assists in developing pride in representing their school. The uniform dress code aims to promote equality amongst all students.  As part of our focus on our value of RESPECT, we are seeking your support to ensure that all students are dressed each day looking like a full member of our school team.

Recently, School Council added in the option for students to wear black pants, shorts or leggings. It should be noted that our Uniform Policy still requires all shorts or leggings to be mid-thigh or lower in length. 

We are lucky to have so many uniform options provided through PSW, and I also encourage any families having difficulties providing school uniform to contact me at the school so that we can assist.

If a student is not in school uniform as listed in our policy, a member of the principal team will issue them with a uniform pass as a reminder. We will then also follow up with families to help ensure and support our students to follow the policy. 

RESPONSIVE TEACHING & LEARNING MODEL

At Greenhills Primary School, one of our key actions this year as part of our Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) is to develop a Responsive Teaching and Learning Model. This builds on our existing Instructional Model to ensure every student is supported and challenged and that what happens in our classrooms is based on the Victorian Teaching & Learning 2.0 Model.

Our Responsive Teaching & Learning Model will have four sections or phases (note that the image above is in draft form at the moment).

Each lesson begins with Activate, a deliberate phase where teachers connect students to prior knowledge, clarify the learning intention, and spark curiosity. This might include revisiting key concepts, using quick checks for understanding, posing thought-provoking questions, or engaging students in short tasks that surface what they already know and need next. This ensures all learners are ready and engaged for new learning. This is followed by Explicit Teaching, where teachers clearly model new learning with purpose and clarity. Students then move into Independent Learning, applying their skills with appropriate support and challenge. Finally, Reflection provides an opportunity for students to think about their learning, celebrate growth, and identify next steps. This consistent structure will continue to help create engaging, purposeful classrooms where all learners can thrive.

Our staff team will begin to focus on “Activate” the first phase during this term with a workshop session during a staff professional learning session after school on Tuesday 19th May. We will keep you updated with our progress. 

DOGS IN THE YARD

This is a friendly reminder that dogs are not allowed in the school. This includes the time before and after school.  Please contact the office if there is a dog in the school yard and they will direct one of our Principal team to assist.

EXCURSIONS & INCURSIONS PERMISSION FORMS

Excursions and incursions certainly offer our students rich and engaging learning opportunities. They are also often some of the most memorable events and experiences students remember during their time at our school. They are also a significant load for our staff to organise and run. 

As such we need your support in finalising permissions and any associated payments 7 days prior to the event.

This allows time for staff to make final checks on numbers and print out all the required paperwork and handbooks. These include the emergency contact details of those that attend so that in the case of an emergency we can ensure we have everything we need. These handbooks are printed and distributed to all staff attending and a copy is also left at the school office. 

This process will be strictly enforced. We will be unable to make telephone calls home on the morning of an event to follow up any missing permissions. If you are having trouble accessing Compass, need a hard copy of a permission form or require support to make a payment please let the office team know. We do not want any students to miss these opportunities and will do everything to support you prior to the day to ensure that everything is organized as it should be. 

HAPPY MOTHERS & SPECIAL PEOPLE DAY

Happy Mother’s & Special People Day this Sunday. 

I know our Parent Association stall on Thursday is always a special part of the day and seeing our students taking their time to shop and find something special to purchase as a gift is a real highlight. 

On behalf of our whole Greenhills school community, we wish our mums and special people a happy day and a special shout out to my own mum – Michelle Penson. We hope that you know how much you mean to us and how grateful we are for everything you do for us. 

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

Noticing Improvement

What is something you are getting better at because you listened to feedback?

James Penson,

Principal.