Message from the Principal 

This week at our staff briefing, Abby Fooks outlined how the prep team are using “Positive Classroom Management Strategies” (PCMS). These procedures and routines play a key role in creating calm, predictable and supportive learning environments for students. When students know how the classroom operates—such as how to start the day, transition between activities, seek help, or work collaboratively - they are more confident, independent and focused on learning. 

Our experience so far at using these proactive strategies highlights that our staff are able to spend more time teaching and supporting students, rather than responding to disruptions. By establishing clear routines and modelling positive behaviours, our classrooms become safe, respectful spaces where every student can thrive.

The 8th March is International Women’s Day and this year’s theme is “Balance The Scales”. 

This theme highlights the urgent need to ensure fair, inclusive, and accessible justice for every woman and girl.

International Women’s Day is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. It is a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the role of women across our school and education more broadly. We are fortunate to have so many strong women and girls at Greenhills leading from the front to ensure we are all playing our role to unlock equal rights, power and opportunities for all.

MID-TERM MEET WITH THE PRINCIPAL TEAM

Don’t forget that we have changed the date for our first Mid-Term Meet with the Principal Team. This will now be on be Wednesday 18th March via Webex at 7.30pm. The sessions are held each term and were introduced a couple of years ago to help keep you in the loop with things that are happening across our school. They are also another forum to ask questions, provide feedback and suggestions and continue our strong home school partnership. 

Here is the link: https://eduvic.webex.com/eduvic/j.php?MTID=me485e9e6af02a73eba4d968bd325e7c4

STUDENT AGENCY CONFERENCES

Have you logged onto Compass to book your child’s Student Agency Conference?  At this stage we have 262 bookings which is 55% of our student population. These are being held on Tuesday 31st March from 9am through to 6.45pm. Each conference is for 15 minutes and students only attend on that day for the time of their conference. Our Student Agency Conferences are one of the key ways that we are building and enabling our students to have agency in their learning. They are also a key way in which we communicate with you about your child’s progress. We continue to work to do this is a regular, meaningful and manageable way.

SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS

This week we held our first School Council meeting and I am pleased to announce that during the meeting Sam Redman was re-elected as School Council President, Rosita Zakaria as Vice President and Krystal Hinwood as Treasurer. 

During the meeting our 2025 Annual Report was tabled and endorsed. This will now be uploaded onto our school website. In the newsletter over the next few weeks, I will also share aspects of the report.

At our next School Council meeting we will set up our working parties and committees. At this stage we plan to set up a Canteen Committee, Social & Emotional Learning Parent Team and organise a team of school council members to organise our school uniform supplier tender and out of school hours care tender process as both of these contracts end this year.

It would be GREAT to have lots of parent and carer involvement across all of these groups. I will publish the meeting dates and times for these committees over the next few weeks once they have been confirmed. You can also flag your interest in joining one or more of these teams by sending an email to the school and we will link you in with the convenor of the group.

GOOD LUCK YEAR 6 CAMPERS

Only six more sleeps until our Year 6’s travel to Anglesea for their camp. I know this group of students is extremely excited and our staff team have put significant planning in place to ensure that the camp runs smoothly. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the staff and parents that will be attending. 

SCHOOL ENROLMENTS 2027

Believe it or not we are now starting to forward plan for 2027. Next week I will send a letter home to all families with younger siblings that may be starting school next year. It will be important for you to indicate to me that you have a child starting in 2027 and complete an enrolment form as early as possible. 

We also have regular school tours each week on Tuesdays at 9.30am, or by appointment. I am also hosting an evening tour on Tuesday 28th April at 5.30pm. If you know of any families that are interested in coming to our school, please let them know about these tours.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

My “Question Prompt For This Week” focuses on effort and challenge.

What was something that felt tricky this week, and what did you do to keep going?

James Penson,

Principal.