Principal's Report
Welcome to a very busy, exciting and what will be a most productive Term 4!
Facilities
There was a real buzz around the school yesterday as we watched the arrival of our new portable building! It was fascinating to see the five separate sections expertly craned into place. These two classrooms will be home for two of our Year 5 classes next year while our main building undergoes its upgrade. Over the holidays, the new outdoor seating at the Senior Campus and landscaping work at the Junior Campus were completed - and they look fantastic!
In January, Stage 2 of the work at the Junior Campus is scheduled to be completed, which includes the installation of a new sports field and running track, replacing the old synthetic turf that has served us well for over 20 years.
We want to sincerely thank our school community - your generous support of our fundraising initiatives makes these important improvements possible! These enhancements truly make a huge difference to our facilities and we are extremely grateful for your continued involvement and commitment.
Footy Day
We all enjoyed a fun day celebrating our football allegiances on Footy Day on the last day of Term 3.
A big thank you to the following people for helping to make the day a success:
- Hattie, Nina and Zac (Sports Captains) for their work hosting the special assembly and for helping to organise the equipment.
- Year 6 students for their contributions to the special assembly
- All the staff and parents that pitched in and helped set up and run the activities
- Tom Pitts and Tyler Trevaskis for organising the special assembly!
It was certainly a fun way to finish off the term!
Division Athletics
Well done to the 21 students who proudly represented the Balaclava District at the Division Athletics Championship last Friday. All students performed exceptionally well, showcasing great determination and sportsmanship.
A special congratulations to the following students who placed 1st in their events and have qualified for the Regional Finals:
- Ava B – 100 Metres
- Immi S – Long Jump
- Tahki – Triple Jump
We are incredibly proud of all our athletes for their outstanding achievements. Well done!
Year 3 Working Bee
This Sunday, 19th October, is our Year 3 Working Bee from 9.00 to 11.00am. We are asking our Year 3 families to spend an hour or two at the Senior Campus helping us to undertake necessary maintenance so that the grounds are nice and tidy for the remainder of the year. We really appreciate the cash donations made to our Buildings and Grounds by those families that are unable to attend the Working Bee.
If you are not a Year 3 family but have an hour or so to spare this Sunday morning, we would love the extra help!
Classes for 2026
Please read further in the newsletter the article from Dimi Sfetsas regarding our process and procedure for class placements for 2026. Families who are not returning to Gardenvale PS (apart from Year 6 students) in 2026 are asked to inform the office in writing, including the school you child will be going to. This will assist with forward planning and class structures for the coming year.
Final Pupil Free Day for 2025
School Council has approved our final Pupil Free day on Monday 8th December for this year’s PPDs (Professional Practice Day). The day is part of the current Victorian Government School Agreement that teachers are entitled to.
Student Medical Conditions
To all parents who have a child with a medical condition (*Anaphylaxis, Asthma, or allergies), could you please ensure you have emailed an updated Action Plan to gardenvale.ps@education.vic.gov.au(Recommended to be updated every 12-18 months.)
Any required medication must also be provided - clearly labelled with dosages and handed to either office and a Medication Authority Form completed and signed.
*An Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plan (IAMP) must also be provided for those students with Anaphylaxis.
For students with asthma, a clearly labelled reliever, spacer and copy of their Action Plan must be kept in their school bag. Importantly, these must also be taken by students to any excursion or sporting event.
For any medication that is required to be given at school, please complete a Medication Authority Form which can be found on our school website, in the Policy section or from either campus office. Thank you for your assistance in helping us to ensure the wellbeing of your child.
Wishing all our families heading to Healesville for the ‘Gardenvale Family Getaway Weekend’ on Friday 24th October a fabulous time – so hope the weather is kind!
Janine