Junior School News

From the Head of Junior School

This week our Junior School took part in a wide range of activities that recognised and celebrated indigenous culture and history. It was an appropriate week for these events as it coincided with National Reconciliation Week, a week when we can learn about the shared histories of all Australians and how, by understanding history, we can work together to achieve reconciliation. This week we were very fortunate to have a variety of performers and guest speakers with a diverse range of perspectives. One of our former teachers, Mrs Rey, shared with all of our classes her experiences living and teaching in remote Western Australia and far north Queensland. Local presenters Jason Kerr and Aunty Lyn Warren spoke to our students on Thursday. Jason performed a traditional smoking ceremony and played the didgeridoo for our students and Aunty Lyn spoke to our Prep-Two students about her life and experiences and then read them some traditional stories. Aunty Lyn was this year an Order of Australia Medal recipient for her work with the local indigenous community. Aunty Lyn has spoken previously about having been taken from her birth family when a baby and finding out later in life who her birth mother was. Unfortunately, Aunty Lyn’s mother had passed away before she had a chance to meet her. Despite these very sad experiences, Aunty Lyn has a very positive outlook that she shares with our students. She is a very deserved recipient of the OAM and we are very thankful that she is willing to share her experiences with our community. 

On Friday at assembly one of our Year 6 students, Marana Murray, read a Welcome to Country written by Marana’s father Luke. Marana’s presentation was excellent and complemented the story we read at assembly called Story Doctors, a story by Boori Monty Prior about working together to heal. It was a most appropriate way to conclude the celebrations of the week.   

Mr Donald Thompson

Head of Junior School

Junior School Cross Country

Friday 20th May saw the annual Junior School House Cross Country event.  Carnivals always create and exciting buzz in the yard and the Cross Country was no exception.  The weather held out for us and students ran 1km, 2km or 3km depending on their age group.  The students as always showed great sportsmanship cheering on their fellow House and class peers.    Thank you to all the parents who braved the cold weather and to Mr Doherty, Mr Robertson and Mr Di Fede who set up and organised the Cross Country. 

Congratulations to JONES House for taking out the House Cup for the carnival.  

Also congratulations to our age group winners: 

Regional Cross Country

Following the Divisional Cross Country event on Friday 6th May, Girton Junior School has six students qualify to attend the Regional Cross Country in St Arnaud.    The day was a blast of icy cold winter weather and the student braved the elements along with their competitors.  Congratulations to Hugh Casey (6 Frew), Maya Dhanapala (5 Riley), Lucy Richard (5 Riley), Alicia Crowley (5 Jones), Blake Bickley (5 Aherne) and William Martin (4 Jones) who did Girton Junior School proud at the Regionals. 

We wish Hugh, Blake, Lucy and Alicia well at the State Finals on Thursday 14th July. 

RESULTS 

Year Two Excursion: Malmsbury

Wow, I've never been inside a dam war before! On Thursday the 19th of May, Year Two went on a trip to learn where Bendigo’s water comes from.  Firstly, we went to Lauriston Reservoir and started off by having a snack.  At Lauriston Reservoir we met Jared and Crag who work there, and they showed us all around. There were ten gates at the top of the dam wall. Craig opened one of the gates and all the water came running down. Next, we went to Malmsbury Reservoir. We saw the channels and the spillway and we got out to walk on the spillway. After that, we all had lunch at Malmsbury Botanical Gardens. I sat with all of my friends, and we had fun.  Finally, we had to go back to school.  It was a great day and I learned why we need to save water at home.

Rosie Kuhle (2 Jones)

On Thursday the 19th of May all of Year Two went to Malmsbury and Lauriston Reservoirs. First, we went to Lauriston and looked at one of the gate openings. It looked like a waterfall. We went into the dam wall which nobody can usually go in. Fun fact: Did you know that there are only three dams walls like that in the whole world? If you opened all of the 10 gates at once a house could flood. We met our guides, Lucas, Jarrod and Craig. Then we went to Malmsbury Botanical Gardens and ate lunch and had a play. After that, we got back on the bus and returned to school. It was lots of fun and it was good to learn how Bendigo gets all of its water.

Temperance Williamson (2 Millward)

Reconciliation Week

During Week Six, the Junior School celebrated NAIDOC Week during Reconciliation Week.  NAIDOC week is a hugely significant marker in the Australian calendar and an especially important one for Indigenous communities around the country. It is generally celebrated in the first week of July. However, we are celebrating this week due to the school holidays. NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is celebrated by all Australians and is a great opportunity to learn more about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

This year's theme is: "Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!"

The theme "Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!" is a call for action to bring about "systemic change and keep rallying around our mob, our Elders, our communities." The theme is about the desire to change the relationship between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous Australians to one that is "based on justice, equity, and the proper recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples' rights."

Along with activities happening inside the classrooms, many fun special events are planned for the week. In Art, students collaborated to create a mega Bunjil the Eagle to hang on display outside Junior School Reception. Mrs Dusseljee organised the Choir to present a well-known song at Assembly, and Mrs Geyer and Mrs Butler-Rees organised an Indigenous Dance incursion. We also had three special guests: Local Aboriginal Elder Aunty Lyn Warren who shared stories and Ms Michelle Rey, past teacher of Girton Grammar School, shared her experience of working in a remote aboriginal community in the Northern Territory.  We also had Jason Kerr from the Dja Dja Wurrung tribe, visit to hold a special Smoke Ceremony and Welcome to Country for all our students. 

We have been excited to come together as a Junior School to develop our understanding of the history of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, generate respect and understanding of culture, and allow us to celebrate the history of the First Australians.

PRIME Awareness Badge Focus in the Junior School

Girton is very proud of our school values. Our school values are: Our values are statements of belief about attitudes, skills, and approaches to learning that we want to foster in our students. They are intended to permeate and be reflected by every aspect of school life, in and out of the classroom, and home and community life. In addition, they can be seen as broad statements of purpose that focus the school’s energies on curriculum, programs, and policies. 

This year, the junior school has started a new initiative to Zoom In on our school values. Each term is split into halves, focussing on two values. We want students to not only understand what these values mean, but more importantly, we want students to ‘live’ these values and feel proud to be in a school where emotions are the heart of everything we do. 

Our first badge value for term two has been the value of PRIME Awareness. At an assembly, Mr Thompson read The Bad Seed by Jory John.’ This story is about a sunflower seed that acts badly because others think it is bad but realises it is never too late to change its behaviour, even if others still judge it. Students then had the opportunity to follow up with the lunchtime activity of planting seeds of kindness. The back garden was buzzing with students coming along to plant a snow pea seed and write three things they can do to be a ‘good seed.’ We will keep the seeds at school until they sprout, and then they can go home to be planted as a reminder that it’s never too late to be a ‘good seed’ and make kind choices. 

The Year Five students have a very exciting leadership opportunity this year to help promote our school values. They are co-constructing and delivering badge mini-lessons to the Year Two students. Five V was the first Year Five group to deliver their lesson. They taught Year Two students about the PRIME Awareness badge. They focussed on self-awareness and learning to be ‘flexible thinkers’ when they were aware that things weren’t going as they had hoped.