Greenhills Primary School Newsletter

Message from the Principal 

James Penson 

Welcome back to term 2! I hope everyone was able to enjoy some family time over the Easter break and recharge ready for the very busy term ahead. Once again, my family enjoyed our annual trip to Pambula (one of my favourite places on Earth!). The weather was sensational and the water temperature amazing. In fact, it was so good that it’s hard to believe Winter is only a few weeks away.

 

LOOKING FORWARD TO TERM 2

 

We have a lot to look forward to this term. As always it will be action packed and engaging. Some of events and activities this term include:

  • House, District & Division Cross Country
  • NAPLAN testing
  • Continuous Reporting
  • Maths Olympiads
  • School Photos
  • Year 1& 2 Swimming lessons
  • Mothers Day 
  • Incursions and excursions
  • Schools NAIDOC Week

 

And much, much more!

 

PARENT HELPER INDUCTION SESSIONS

It has been GREAT to have so many parents, carers and grandparents attend one of our Parent Helper Induction sessions and as I walked around the school this week I have seen many helpers already assisting in our classrooms. This is one of the very special things about our school and our staff team really values the input, support and involvement of our community.

 

It is an important part of our Child Safe and OH & S processes that any person helping in our school is inducted and also completed the associated forms and paperwork. 

 

There will be some more Parent Helper Induction sessions over the next few weeks. Next weeks are as follows:

 

Monday 2nd May @ 3pm in the staffroom
Tuesday 3rd May @ 6.30pm via Webex
Thursday 5th May @ 9am in the staffroom

 

 

3RD DIVISION SIGNALS ASSOCIATION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last Friday, a group of our student leaders attended the Shrine of Remembrance to hold a special memorial service to honour the 3rd Division Signals Association. Our school makes this annual visit as part of our ongoing and special relationship with the Association which started back in 2007 .The partnership fosters relationships and enables schools to carry on the legacy of an ex-service organisation, which is a very special honour for our school.

 

I have included a letter I received from Dr Judith Glazner who is the daughter of one of the men who served in the unit during World War 2 in Papua New Guinea:

 

Dear Mr Penson,

 

I write to commend the students and staff from Greenhills Primary School at last Friday's tree ceremony for 3 Division Signals. The students were outstanding - they all spoke confidently and upheld the school values of Grit, Respect, Effort, Adventure & Teamwork. The students were invested in the occasion and their respect and admiration for the last surviving member of the unit was palpable.

 

My father Leonard Glazner was a member of 3DivSigs in WWII. He died at age 95 just prior to Anzac Day 2018. He was an active member of the association over decades, attended many tree ceremonies and loved that your school was part of these occasions and has such an important link with the unit.

 

To see so many students there, during the holidays and in uniform, was especially impressive. You have every right to be very proud of them.

 

Kind regards,

Judith 

 

Dr Judith Glazner

PhD, MA(Clinical Psychology), BBSc(Hons), RN

 

 

As you can read from the letter, our relationships with the 3rd Division Signals Association is certainly very important and significant to both current and past servicemen and women who served in the Association and all of their family members. 

 

A big thank you to Lauren Richardson for organising the day with the Association and leading our students on the day and of course well done and thank you to our students and families who attended during the holiday break.

 

To watch our leaders speak and the full service click here:

3 Div Sigs Memorial Service 2022

 

ANZAC DAY COMMEMORATION EVENTS

 

On ANZAC Day last Monday, we had a large number of Greenhills students attend our local Greensbough RSL Sub Branch Memorial Service. Once again is was wonderful seeing so many of our students and their families there to represent our school and pay respects to all men and women who have served our nation. During the Service our Student Leaders laid a wreath on behalf of our school community. 

 

At this time each year I also like to remind our school community that we have our own memorial garden at Greenhills Primary School as well. For those of you who might not be aware of this, the garden is located outside the main office as you walk up to the school from Mine Street. This project was led by Andrea Williams our Art Specialist teacher and Helen Platania, a local artist. If you haven’t already seen it, please make sure you take the time to do so. A part of the garden includes a special plaque in recognition of the 3rd Division Signals Association and the face of the soldier in the centre of the mural is James Nolan who is the great, great uncle of the Thom family here at the school. 

 

 

James Penson

Principal