Principal's Report

ANZAC DAY Assembly

Last Friday was an important opportunity for our whole school to come together to commemorate ANZAC Day. Our School Captains Frankie, Lionel, Lorelei and Rosie did an excellent job leading the assembly. Our singing group ‘The Jets’ performed beautifully the song, The Last ANZAC, which captured the essence of the ANZAC spirit. Thank you to James Newbury, the Member from Brighton in the State Parliament, for joining us for the assembly and beautifully reciting ‘The Ode’. It was lovely that many parents could be there for this special occasion.

2027 Preps

Believe it or not, we are already well underway with our Prep enrolments for 2027. It is important for us to have a clear understanding of how many current families have a child starting school at Gardenvale Primary School next year. Please visit our website for information on completing the online enrolment. A quick reference guide is also available to assist you with the process. We would greatly appreciate online enrolment being submitted as soon as possible.

Thank you from our SRC

A big ‘Thank You’ to the families that supported our SRC initiative last term and brought in food for the Refugee Food Bank. Our SRC reps and teachers did a wonderful job promoting this amongst our students at both the Junior and Senior Campus. I know the Refugee Food Bank Team were thrilled with the support they received from the Gardenvale Community. 

Nathaniel Swain – Novel Studies

On Thursday 23rd April, Nathaniel Swain visited our school to work with teachers and students, strengthening our approach to novel studies and promoting greater consistency in reading instruction across classrooms.

Nathaniel is a highly regarded Australian educator, instructional coach and speaker, recognised for his expertise in evidence-based teaching practices, particularly in literacy and explicit instruction. He has supported schools nationwide to refine their pedagogy and improve student outcomes.

Nathaniel will continue partnering with our staff throughout the remainder of the year. 

Please see Teaching and Learning page for more about Novel Studies.

Junior Campus - Quail Enclosure

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to Jen Robinson’s friend, Rod Blackwood for his generous support and dedication. As a passionate animal lover, Rod gave up many hours during the school holidays to assist with the extension of our quail enclosure. He very kindly volunteered his time without charging for labour. We are truly grateful for his kindness, effort, and community spirit. We would also like to thank Jen Robinson again for all her work in organising this. It is greatly appreciated. 

Student Medical Conditions 

To all parents who have a child with a medical condition (anaphylaxis, asthma or allergies), please ensure you have emailed an updated Action Plan to gardenvale.ps@education.vic.gov.au (Recommended to be updated every 12-18 months) 

For students with asthma, a clearly labelled reliever, spacer and copy of their ActionPlan, must be kept in their school bag. Importantly, these must also be taken by students to any excursion or sporting event.

Medication required to be dispensed at school – a completed and signed Medication Authority Form (collect from office), must accompany clearly labelled medication, with dosages and handed to the relevant office or teacher.

Thank you for your assistance in helping us to ensure the wellbeing of your child. 

Have a lovely week, 

Dimi Sfetsas