Principal's Report

Dear Members of the Glen Waverley Primary School Community,

I trust all is well with you and your family and welcome to this fortnight’s newsletter where so much is shared about our wonderful school.

As per usual, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me on 9802 9938 or via email at frank.catalano@education.vic.gov.au 

CIS Visit

As you may be aware, last week I had the privilege of leading a CIS Accreditation visit at Birmingham Primary School. The school has now successfully completed its third CIS accreditation cycle, and what was particularly evident was the significant impact that the CIS process has had on the school, much like our own experience. Birmingham Primary School is a highly effective school where students are deeply engaged in high-quality learning experiences, staff demonstrate exceptional professionalism, and the parent community expresses strong appreciation for the education and opportunities the school provides.

Next term our school will also complete our third re-accreditation process and in the coming weeks I look forward to sharing more!

Pyjama Day

Due to the CIS visit, I wasn’t at school to see the children participated in our annual Herat Kids PJ Day, although the photos and the smile on the children’s faces are priceless. Thank you everyone for supporting this cause as it demonstrates the importance of the children understanding and appreciating of the impact we all have as global citizens.

Please refer to Ms. Tsang’s report below:

On Wednesday 20th May, our school came together for a fun-filled Pyjama Day to raise money for the wonderful HeartKids. Students and teachers swapped their uniforms for their comfiest pyjamas, bringing plenty of colour, smiles, and excitement to the day. It was fantastic to see so many members of our school community getting involved and showing their support for such an important cause.

HeartKids is an Australian charity that supports children and families impacted by congenital and childhood heart disease, providing care, connection, and support during what can often be very challenging times. By participating in Pyjama Day, our students not only had lots of fun, but also helped make a real difference for families across Australia.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our school community, we raised an amazing total of $721.20! This is a wonderful achievement and something we should all be extremely proud of. The Service Learning Junior School Council members would like to sincerely thank everyone for their donations, enthusiasm, and willingness to get into the spirit of the day.

Once again, congratulations and thank you to everyone for making Pyjama Day such a huge success. Our school community should be incredibly proud of this fantastic effort!

Congratulations to the following children for their outstanding achievements outside of school

As Principal, I take enormous pride in learning about the many achievements of our remarkable students, both within and beyond the school setting. Below are just a few recent examples that I am delighted to share with our school community:

Shenelle (Year 4) rhythmic gymnastics – recently Shennelle competed in the 2026 Diamond Cup Championship organised by Melbourne RG Academy, in the High Performance Category for children aged 8 to 10.  I am thrilled to report that she placed 2nd in rope routine and 4th in the hoop routine. 

Also, she placed 3rd in the All-Around in High Performance Development Level. Wow, what an amazing accomplishment Shenelle – well done, congratulations, keep it up and we look forward to hearing more about your achievements in the near future. 

Akira (Year 6) table tennis – Akira she competed in the Victorian State Open and Table Tennis Australia’s Victoria Tour, in Traralgon. I am thrilled to report that Akira placed 1st (Gold medal) in the Under 11 girls. Which then qualified her to be part of the state team and represent Victoria in the Table Tennis Australia tour event where she placed 1st and received a gold medal! 

Well done and congratulations Akira as your growth and development has been exceptional. I look forward to sharing more of your achievements soon!

Chess Team Update

Our school chess team continue to work extremely hard and achieve amazing results. Recently they placed first in both the Northern Star and Chess Ideas tournaments and have now qualified for the state semi-finals. Congratulations and thank you to all the children who continue to proudly represent our school, and I look forward to sharing more news shortly.

Some of our students, such as Manish, are now playing against secondary students and continue to do extremely well. For instance, Manish was awarded 4th place in a recent tournament – well done Manish! 

Extra-Curricular Programs 

At our school, we are committed to fostering a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for all students. As part of this commitment, and for the second year, we are implementing the Stand Up Project, which is an initiative designed to prevent bullying and promote positive relationships across our school community.

Extra-curricular activities play a vital role in enriching a child’s education by providing opportunities to explore interests, develop new skills, and build confidence beyond the classroom. Participation in these programs encourages teamwork, creativity, problem-solving, and resilience, while also helping students discover passions that may shape their future pathways. Whether in sport, the arts, leadership, or technology, extra-curricular experiences foster a sense of belonging and enable students to connect with peers who share similar interests.

Our Advanced Learning Program is a standout example of how extra-curricular opportunities can inspire curiosity and innovation. Through engaging experiences in drones, aviation, rocketry, and robotics, students are challenged to think critically, design solutions, and apply their learning in exciting real-world contexts. These hands-on programs nurture scientific and technological understanding while igniting a love of discovery and exploration. By offering such unique opportunities, we empower students to extend their talents, pursue their interests, and develop the skills needed to thrive in a rapidly changing world.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED A PRINCIPAL’S AWARD RECENTLY: 

Year Prep 

• Rysha, Selene and Rovin for completing outstanding home learning 

Year 1

• Amil, Wai, Jefferey, Arya, Akein, Saatvick, Owen and Saravana for working together to make sure our school yard is clean and tidy 
• Michelle, Anaira, Oneki, Caitlin, Dhiana, Janani, Jabir, Thiseli Marley and Reyan for learning all about singular and plural words 

Year 2

• Awa for learning about the meaning of the ‘Flower of Thanking’ which is about having and giving a good life 
• Lyon and Taksh for being great friends 
• Erina, Tiana, Lyon and Taksh for completing outstanding home learning 

Year 3

• Ava, Saambavi and Sasavi for making outstanding progress with their writing skills 
• Nithish and Savik for continuing to make great progress with their writing 

Year 4 

• Amaira, Aston and Aishwarya for being wonderful friends 
• Sithev for making excellent progress with his writing skills, his narrative is featured in the Kids’ Corner section of this newsletter 

Wishing everyone a safe and happy fortnight,

Frank Catalano

Principal