Specialists News

Sport/Phys Ed News 

School Sport Australia – National Track & Field Championships

Congratulations to Sonny R who represented Spring Gully PS and Victoria at the National Track & Field Championships in Canberra on the 27-30th of November. Sonny came 9th in the 9/10 Years boys High Jump and was a member of the Swedish Relay team that came 4th,(Sonny ran the 100m leg of this relay).

This is an outstanding achievement considering the standard of competition.

Well done Sonny – the school community is very proud of you!

Swimming Program

Our Swimming Program concluded last Friday with all of the students enjoying some fun water games and races at the end of their session. It has been great to see the students learn so much about stoke technique and water safety in such a short period of time.  All students will receive a certificate before the end of the term. I would like to thank the staff at the Peter Krenz Centre for the outstanding quality of their instruction and caring nature with the children. I would also like to thank the SGPS staff and parents who assisted in making this such a smooth running program.

We have been able to secure the same venue at the end of Term 4 in 2026. 

Junior School Athletics

The Junior Athletic Sports will be held on Monday the 15th of December, 9am at the Spring Gully Cricket Oval. This will provide each student within grades Prep, One and Two with an opportunity to participate in a range of athletic events. Students will be split into six groups and will compete in their grade level for the duration of the morning. Fun and participation are the themes of the day. Children will need to wear house colours, broad-brim hat, sun protection and suitable footwear for running. Children are asked to bring a water bottle, which can be refilled on the day. Spectators are welcome.

Intersport Bicknell's Cup Sports Skills Competition

During Term 2, a group of our Grade 6 students took part in the Bicknell's Cup Sports Skills Competition, held during half-time at several Bendigo Braves basketball games. Competing against students from other local schools, they put in an outstanding performance, finishing in first place and earning a $2000 credit from Bicknell’s Sports.

Last week, we were able to collect the new equipment purchased with this prize, which will now further enhance our school’s sporting resources.

A huge congratulations to all the students—and their families—who contributed to this fantastic achievement. Thank you also to Ms Murphy for organising, training, and supporting the team throughout the competition. This prize will make a meaningful difference to our sports program.

Students: Hunter P, Navarre B, Kingson M, Archie M, Genevieve M, Max M, Indi C, Taj W, Reeva C, Pania HP, Lucy E, Georgia B, Louis T and Sophie H.

Auslan News

Grade Preps have been learning signs for Clothing, including: clothes/wearing, t-shirt, shorts, skirt, dress, pants, jumper, jacket, rain jacket/coat, PJs, school uniform, shoes, socks, hat, scarf, and gloves. The Preps have been enjoying interpreting the signs for clothing to hang laminated clothes on a mini clothesline. They have made clothing collages to sign and had a go at signing clothing in a shopping bag, for “I went shopping and bought…”

Grade 1-2s are finishing off the term, having learned simple Auslan signs for giving directions, including: left, right, wait, turn around, forward, backward, fast, slow, up, down, walk, run, stop, go, jump, and through. They have combined numbers with directions, to direct their friend around a pirate treasure map, and have enjoyed directing a friend around obstacles outside in the Hub or G1-2 eating area. 

Grade 3-4s have continued practising signs in the topic of School/Education, particularly focusing on the new signs for School Subjects, including: Auslan, Language/LOTE, Art, Music, Dance, Drama, Sport, PE, Health, English, Reading, Writing, Spelling, History, Maths/Numbers, Science, and Technology. Students will present their School/Education PowerPoints in small groups this week, to lead sign practise of these signs. 

Grade 5-6s have been practising signing, and then recording their simple Auslan conversations to complete their Term 4 Learning Tasks. It has been great to see so many students enjoying signing their conversations together, combining signs and applying their fingerspelling skills to topics we have been learning throughout the year. Well done Grade 5-6! I have enjoyed watching the videos to see how you are all gaining confidence with your signing abilities!!

All classes will finish the term next week by joining in some Auslan games/boardgames to revise topics we have learned signs for throughout the year. Students will also be learning some signs for greeting people over the Christmas and New Year period in Auslan!

Have a wonderful, safe Christmas everyone! I look forward to more fun in the Auslan classroom next year!!

Mrs Riordan

Music News - Japanese Taiko Drumming

Recently, every class had the opportunity to participate in a Taiko Drumming Incursion as part of the Music Curriculum. It was a thrilling, high energy workshop where we learned to play a variety of rhythmic patterns! We learned about the history of taiko drums and their importance in Japanese culture. The Junior and Middle schools also learned the Sakura fan dance. Every class was invited to dress up in traditional Japanese costume as part of their Taiko workshop.