Principal's Report
Welcome Back!
Welcome back to everyone in our community following the mid-year break! Winter is nearly over and we can hopefully begin to welcome some warm weather back over the coming months. Thank you to everyone who is keeping our community safe by staying home when unwell and promoting good personal hygiene practices.
As I mentioned as assembly last week, August brings to us the shortest of the Wurundjeri seasons in Guling. I found a wonderful summary of what this season entails below:
Guling (orchid season) - August
- Cold weather eases.
- Wattle and orchids blooming.
- Common brown butterfly caterpillars feed at night.
- Male Koalas bellow at night.
The transition from Waring (wombat season) to Guling (orchid season) brings cool, rainy days that follow misty mornings. Days are short, nights are long, and the cold weather slowly eases.
Muyan (silver wattle) is the first wattle to flower. Urah (yellow box) also blossoms, providing highly prized nectar. Early Nancy is the first of the small food plants to bloom, and by late August the yam daisy murnong will be budding. Across the forest floor, beautiful orchids burst into colour.
In preparation for breeding, many bird species begin nesting. Joeys start to emerge from the pouch and learn from their mothers. At night, common brown butterfly caterpillars feed and male koalas bellow to advertise their presence, seeking a mate and fighting with rival males to establish dominance.
In the past, the Wurundjeri people moved slowly towards the lower lands as temperatures rose. There, they were able to snare ducks, catch other wild fowl and, as the season went on, get eggs from the nests of all kinds of birds. Hearts of kombadik (soft tree ferns) and murnong yams comprised a major part of their diet.
The constellation Sagittarius rises in the south-east after sunset, indicating the mid-point of cold weather.
Staff Baby Announcements!
We love baby announcements here at CGPS. This year we are so happy to congratulate the following staff who are looking forward to welcoming new members into their families this year:
Katie, Brighde, Jolie, Joel & Curtis
We wish them all the best on their journey into parenthood, whether it’s their first or second (and third!) baby. Please join us in celebrating this special time and sharing our warm congratulations.
Update on suspension and expulsion powers
Our school is committed to providing a safe, respectful and inclusive environment for all
students and staff. You may be aware of recent changes announced to suspension and
expulsion powers that will be available to Victorian principals from day one of Term 3,
(Monday 21 July 2025).
We know that students’ behaviour outside of school, particularly online, can sometimes
impact the safety of students and staff at school.
In exceptional circumstances, principals of Victorian government schools will be able
suspend or expel students for behaviour that occurs outside of school grounds and/or
hours including online, if it poses a significant danger to the safety and wellbeing of
students or staff.
These powers apply only to serious incidents where there is a clear and close
connection to the school and the behaviour of a student outside of school
unreasonably impacts the safety and wellbeing of students or staff at school, and their
ability to learn or work. Please note:
• They do not apply to behaviours unrelated to the school or school community.
• They only apply to behaviour which occurs from Monday 21 July 2025 onwards.
Suspension and expulsion will remain measures of last resort – our primary approach
continues to focus on proactive and positive behaviour support, including working
with you to teach students the behaviours we expect of them, in school and in life.
Thank you for your continued support as we work in partnership to educate and support
our young people.