A Message from David & Cam...
ANZAC Day
ANZAC Day is one of the most important and significant days of the year whereby we remember and acknowledge the incredible bravery and sacrifice of those who have served our country. Our School Captains, along with ourselves, attended the ANZAC Day Dawn Service at Altona. It was a moving service and our captains laid a wreath on behalf of our school community. It was lovely to see a number of AGPS students and their families at the service along with some of our staff. We also had some students representing Altona Lifesaving who marched in the parade.
Lest we forget.
Term 2 Events
We have lots of exciting events and activities planned for Term 2. Further details about all of these events will be sent via Compass and future newsletters.
- Mother & Special Person's Day (10th May) - We invite all mothers and special people to attend a picnic at the school from 1:30pm - 3:15pm. You will be invited to have lunch with your children and then attend a special session in the afternoon in their class. There will be scones, jam & cream served with a piece of cake at a cost of $10 per serve. These can be ordered here: https://compasstix.com/e/5mlraml67x
- Athletics Carnival & Prep - 2 Sports Day (9th May) - Our Year 3-6 students will be participating in our Athletics Carnival at Newport Athletics Track and our P-2 students will enjoy a tabloid sports/games day at school.
- ES Day (16th May) - A day to thank and celebrate our wonderful Education Support Staff
- Laverton District Cross Country (3rd May)
- Education Week (13th - 17th May) Theme: Spotlight on STEM - a chance for schools to celebrate and share how they bring science, technology, engineering and maths to life in the classroom.
- Reconciliation Week (27th May - 3rd June) Theme: Now, More Than Ever - NRW is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
- National Simultaneous Storytime (22nd May) - AGPS is joining in the annual event where a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country.
- School Disco (Thursday 27th June) - a fun event for the students to celebrate the end of term. Our JSC will be selecting the theme for this event and details will be published later this term.
- Excursions and Incursions - There are a range of different excursions and incursions that are being planned by the different teaching teams to support the Term 2 curriculum programs.
Year 6-7 Transition
Cam met with the Grade 6 students last Tuesday afternoon to explain the process of applying for a place in a secondary school. The students asked thoughtful questions and we went through a range of scenarios. To check which secondary school’s zone you are in, please go to www.findmyschool.vic.gov.au and type in your home address.
Please go through the handout that your child brought home and if you have any questions Cam is more than happy to speak with you.
The forms need to be completed and returned to school at the latest by Friday 10th May. It is a very tight timeframe to then prepare the information for the distribution to the secondary schools so your adherence to the timeframe is greatly appreciated.
Cross Country
Our school held our cross country try-outs last week for students aged 9 and above. It was great to see so many of our students have a go at during these try-outs and to see them persist when things were really getting tough for them. We also loved the support and encouragement shown by the spectating students during each race (although we are not sure about the effectiveness of high fiving during a race!).
The top 7 for each age category head to Queen of Peace on Friday 3rd to compete against the Laverton District Schools. This event has been published via Compass for those students who qualified.
Maths Olympiad
A committed group of students have been working diligently to continue developing their 'toolkit' of effective mathematical strategies during our weekly lunchtime sessions. There has been plenty of rich discussion and sharing of strategies. The first test is in Week 4 and the students are keen to see how they go in a test setting.
Home Challenge!
Have a go at these example Maths Olympiad questions and see how you go!
- When 24 is added to a number, the result is the same as when the number is multiplied by 3. What is the number?
- David was able to buy some 23 cent stamps and some 15 cent stamps for a total of exactly $2.50. How many 15 cent stamps did he buy?
Student Achievements
Jensen
The whole school stopped and watched Jensen's 1500m race at the Athletics Australia Championships held in Adelaide last week. Jensenran a great race against an incredibly strong field. It is an incredible achievement to make it to this level and we are all so proud of your efforts. Well done, Jensen!
Jack (& dad)
Jack shared that he recently won the state title at Mk2 Cataraman State Championships held in Rye. Sailing with his dad, Jack participated in 4 races (3x 1st place & 1x 2nd place) which placed them as the overall winners of the championship. What a wonderful achievement - well done, Jack & Shannon!
School Photos
School photo day is on the 1st May (next week!). Please see the attached flyer to book your child's photos online. Please note that sibling photos must be booked prior to the day.
Remaining Pupil Free Days for 2024
The following dates have been approved by School Council as Pupil Free Days:
- Friday 24th May
- Friday 26th July
- Monday 4th November
Please record these dates in your diary. TeamKids will offer their services on these days if there are enough students enrolled. Please book early to confirm your child's position in the program.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
Take care,
David & Cam
Go Blues!