Messages

Dear Families,

We would like to congratulate our wonderful school community on a fabulous effort during remote learning. 

Students you have been outstanding. Your positive attitude on each and every Google Meet has been noted by the teaching staff. Your ability to adapt to a different way of schooling, participate in numerous Google Meets each day, complete work independently and interact with teachers and peers online for such a prolonged period of time has been nothing short of amazing. We are all in awe of you.

Staff, we can't thank you enough. The staff at Galilee have gone above and beyond during this very long lockdown. They have spent hours preparing and planning for teaching students in a way that they were not trained to do. They have adapted their style of teaching which is very different from the pedagogical approach they were trained to use. Staff, your continued commitment to, and genuine care for your students has not gone unnoticed. Your willingness to work long hours, front up on Google Meets beamed into the loungerooms of your students and continually search for a way to make online learning more meaningful, fun and exciting for students has been outstanding. Thank you for everything that you have done.

Parents we really couldn't have done it without you. Never have home-school connections been so strong. We know the work that you have had to put in during remote learning. The supporting, coaching and explaining that you have had to do has been monumental and we would like to thank each and every one of you. You have been asked to become experts in managing Dojo notifications, reading timetables, logging onto Google Meets, troubleshooting technical problems, re-explaining a task that didn't make sense, motivating your children when it all seemed too difficult and balancing all of this during a global pandemic, while in the longest lockdown in the world, while often trying to work from home and continue to perform all the duties that come with having a family. 

We couldn't be more proud of everyone in our community. Thank you for everything that you have done.

Please note, Monday 1st November is a School Closure Day. If you need to use GOSH, please book your child in via www.theircare.com.au. 

Tuesday, 2nd November is the Melbourne Cup public holiday. 

We will see all students back onsite on Wednesday 3rd November when all will return to school on a full-time basis.

Changes due to COVID-19 restrictions

To ensure that we are following COVID-19 requirements and recommendations we have made some big changes to our timetable for the remainder of the year.

We have changed the Specialist Timetable, Recess and Lunchtimes and the spaces that students can play in for the remainder of the year. These changes will come into effect on Wednesday 3rd November. These changes have been made so that students are only mixing with their own classmates when they are inside. This is in an effort to reduce the risk of a COVID-19 positive case coming into direct contact with a range of students throughout the school. 

If we are to have a COVID-19 positive case attend school we will follow the advice of the Victorian Department of Health. At this stage, it is our understanding that if a COVID-19 positive case attends school during their infectious period, students and staff who are considered close contacts would need to test for COVID-19 and quarantine for 14 days if unvaccinated and for 7 days if vaccinated. Close contacts would only be released from quarantine if they receive a negative COVID-19 test result. Students and staff considered Casual Contacts would need to test for COVID-19 and isolate until they receive a negative test result. 

Close contacts can be:

• someone who has had face-to-face contact (15+ minutes) or spent time in a enclosed space ( 2+ hours cumulatively) with someone who has COVID-19 while they were infectious.
• someone who has been in an outbreak or other setting where there is a higher risk of transmission of COVID-19 (shared the same classroom etc).

Casual Contacts:

• Someone who has been in the same general area as someone who has tested positive for the coronavirus while infectious.
• Someone who has had less than 15minute face-to-face contact in any setting with a confirmed case in the 48 hour period before the onset of their symptoms; or
• Someone who has shared a closed space with a confirmed case for less than two hours in the 48 hours prior to the onset of their symptoms.

The purpose of staggering our recess and lunch times limits our students’ opportunities to mingle and make contact with each other. This will reduce the number of students and staff who will be considered close contacts should we have a positive COVID-19 case attend school during their infectious period. This will help avoid a prolonged school closure and slow the spread of COVID-19. 

Recess and Lunch break times for the remainder of the year:

• Students in Prep and Year 1 will have a recess break at 11:00 - 11:40am
• Students in Prep and Year 1 will have a lunch break at 1:00-1:40pm
• Students in Year 2 and Year 3 will have a recess break at 11:40 - 12:20pm
• Students in Year 2 and Year 3 will have a lunch break at 1:40 - 2:20pm
• Students in Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 will have a recess break at 10:20-11:00am
• Students in Year 4, Year 5 and Year 6 will have a lunch break at 12:20-1:00pm

At recess and lunch time every day of the week, students will be able to play on the grass area and the playground. We hope that this new timetable gives students more opportunities to run and play ball games twice a day as opposed to the old timetable where students were required to spend some recesses and lunches playing inside. Students will continue to eat their recess and lunch at regular times. 

To accommodate these break times we have had to change the days students need to wear their P.E. Uniform.

These are the days that students will need to wear P.E. Uniform for the remainder of the year:

• Prep S - Wednesday and Friday
• Prep P - Tuesday and Friday
• Prep M - Tuesday and Friday
• Year 1J - Monday and Friday
• Year 1B - Monday and Friday
• Year 2E - Wednesday and Friday
• Year 2J - Wednesday and Friday
• Year 2R - Tuesday and Friday
• Year 3M - Monday and Friday
• Year 3B - Wednesday and Friday
• Year 4R - Wednesday and Friday
• Year 4H - Monday and Friday
• Year 5C - Monday and Friday
• Year 6M - Tuesday and Friday
• Year 6F - Tuesday and Friday

Library

Unfortunately we have decided to close our Library for the remainder of the school year. We have been advised to limit the number of shared resources and we have been advised to limit the opportunities for students to mix in the same inside space. With our Year 2E students using half of the library space as a classroom during our building project, we have decided to close the library for the reminder of the year. If you have any books at home belonging to our library, please send your child them to the office with them.

Air Purifiers

We have been anxiously awaiting news of the Air Purifiers we were promised from the Victorian Government but are still yet to receive information about when they are likely to arrive. In the meantime we have decided to purchase 10 Air Purifiers that should arrive next week. These Air Purifiers will go into classrooms that have been deemed to have less airflow. The Leadership Team met last week to decide which classrooms would receive an air purifier because the airflow was insufficient.

Window Gaps

Window Gaps have been installed in all classrooms. Window Gaps allow for windows on a multistory building to be opened safely. The installation of window gaps means that we are fully compliant with Victorian Government requirements to maximise airflow in all learning areas. We would like to thank Paul Mapley for organising and installing all window gaps throughout the school.

Shade Sail Grant

Galilee has applied for a Shade Sail Grant to encourage more outdoor learning. If successful we will be able to repurpose a section of our playground so that it will be a shaded area to play and a shaded area to learn.

Cleaning

The school will continue to be professionally cleaned each night of the school week. Touchpoints in all classrooms and communal areas will be cleaned each night of the week. All desks and chairs are wiped down twice a day and any resources that are shared (eg. a dice) are collected after each use and disinfected.

Borrowed Devices/Chromebooks

Please make sure that any borrowed devices/chromebooks are returned to the school office on Wednesday 3rd November. 

All borrowed devices and chargers can be brought to the school office by students upon their arrival on Wednesday 3rd November. 

Galilee's New Building

Today we have had an enormous crane onsite. Those onsite were lucky enough to watch extremely large panels get put into place. Isn't it exciting to see our building coming along!

Wellbeing

By feeling a sense of connectedness and belonging to classmates, teachers, friends and family, you will feel more confident to build your best possible self. Being with other people is the most effective way for you to cope with life's ups and downs. When you feel you are struggling, make yourself talk to people you trust to release the power of serotonin and oxytocin to lift your spirits. In-person social connections are the best feelings lifters. 

Uniform

All students should now be wearing the full Summer Uniform.  A reminder that the school hat must be worn from the start of Term 4. NB Galilee follows the Sun Smart policy: No hat, no play.

The new Galilee uniform is available for purchase from PSW (online ordering). Click HERE to go to PSW's website. Items of the current uniform are on sale and can be worn until the end of Term 1 2022. An exception will be made for Year 6 students. All other students must be in the new uniform by Term 2, 2022.

The Sports Uniform must be worn on allocated PE days. Please note, PE classes will resume in Week 6 and we will inform you of your allocated PE day prior to the beginning of Week 6.

Second Hand Uniform

Donations accepted out the front of Galilee on Wednesday 10th November from 8.35am until 8.50am.  Clean and in good condition uniforms accepted.

The Second Hand Uniform shop will be open on Wednesday 17th November from 9-9.30am. 

*There is no access to the uniform shop out of hours listed above. 

*If you are not double vaccinated, please Tegan and Wendy your mobile number and Carla will contact you to arrange collection time.

 All older style uniforms that students can no longer wear will be donated to a charity that will send them overseas.

Class Groups 2022

Classroom placements are based upon student friendships and the needs of each individual. 

If parents have concerns, for social reasons, over classroom placements of their child with another peer, they are asked to send the request to Mr Millar in a hand-written letter or email to the office, by no later Monday 8th November 2021, including the reason for the request. These requests will be kept confidential but there is no guarantee that all can be accommodated. 

Teachers are yet to be given placements for 2022 and requests for teachers by parents will not be considered.

Student Learning

2E have had a busy few weeks. We have been learning to write explanations, measure the length and area of things around our home and think about the qualities of a good friend. 

We were excited to get back to school and see each other! We started a new tradition of reading in the garden last week. 

Practicing Mindfulness with Mrs Ferris

Practising Mindfulness literally changes our brains over time. It changes the way we think, the way we behave and the way we feel with a huge amount of science and research to prove this. Our brain has an intricate network of neural pathways which are always changing through what is called neuroplasticity. We now know that our brains can continually grow new neurons and are continually adapting and changing throughout our lives. 

The amygdala is a key brain structure known as the emotional or fear centre of the brain, the area responsible for the fight-or-flight response. Smaller amygdalae are found in more mindful people and are associated with greater emotional control. Over time, the amygdala reduces in size the more we practice Mindfulness. People who practice Mindfulness show reduced activity in the amygdala that is often associated with fear, stress, anxiety and depression.  With Mindfulness training, the amygdala still kicks in when needed (fight, flight or freeze); however, messages feeding into it from the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus that give context to the situation, such as realising its not a life-or-death situation, become stronger.

As the children return to school, it’s important that we help them to deal with the stressors we have been living with of late. We have learned about a variety of mindful strategies this year, and at the moment, are focusing on mindful movement. Several classes have already participated in yoga sessions; all children will learn some yoga this term as one way of reducing the cortisol in their bodies and helping them to deal with any fear, anxiety, depression or angst they might be experiencing as we transition back to some kind of normal at school. 

Scripture of the Week

Best wishes,

Simon Millar (Principal)