Junior School News

From the Head of Junior School

Welcome back to Term 2. I hope that everyone had a restful Easter break.

Over the break there was a good deal of work carried out at the school. Thomas Building is back in operation with our Year 2, 3 and 4 classes back into the T Block classrooms. Much of the footprint of the former hall has been converted to temporary playground space which is very much welcomed after the limitations on the play space over the past 12 months. The front oval has also been repaired and restored to full use.

Over the break the Bunya Pine was also removed. It was sad to see the historic tree come down but it was necessary due to the safety risk that it posed. The wood is currently sitting on the MacKenzie St accessway but will be removed shortly and taken away to be milled. It is our intention to use the wood within the school as a way of paying respect to the history of the Bunya Pine. Once the wood is taken away to be processed we will re-open the MacKenzie gate and it will revert to being the morning entry point for the Junior School. Over the coming months we will also be re-opening the front of Girton House as a passive play space.

ANZAC Day

Last Friday, our Student Representative Council (SRC) ran our Junior School ANZAC Day service. I was impressed with the respect that was shown by all of our Junior School students during the service. Our SRC were well prepared and spoke carefully and solemnly, befitting of a service to commemorate the sacrifices made, not only by the ANZACs but by all of those who have served their country since.

Their sacrifices and those of their families are also recognised when we commemorate ANZAC Day. A highlight of the service was the performance of Junior School Choir. The way they sang Let Peace Begin With Me was breathtaking. Parents spoke to me after the service about the physical response that their performance elicited. Thank you to the Student Representative Council, Mrs Gibson, Mrs Matthew, Mrs Dusseljee and Mrs Moon, the Junior School Choir and our Junior School students for the parts they all played in our ANZAC Day Service.

On Saturday many of our Junior School students attended the Dawn or Morning services in Bendigo and surrounding areas. I thank them sincerely for representing the school and showing their respect to those who have sacrificed so much for our country. I attended the Bendigo Morning Service and was very proud of the way the students who were with us gave their attention to the service and those who were speaking.

This week we were contacted by Mr Steven Baras-Miller about a story he has written about Corporal Edgar “Ted” Millward for the RSL website. Ted was the son of Mrs Alice Millward, one of the founding Heads of Girton College. He was injured in the conflict at Gallipoli twice, and later killed at the second battle of Bullecourt in France. The story can be found on the RSL Website: https://rslvic.com.au/news/corporal-edgar-ted-millward-first-world-war/

Congratulations

Well done to Josh Purton, Oskar Hall, Alex Lee, Coen Tuang, Thomas Bellis, Astin Fleming, Jonty Hooke and Juho Kim who represented the school at the School Sports Victoria (SSV) State Swimming Championships in Melbourne last week. Scroll down for more detail about their excellent efforts.

Staffing News

This week Mrs Matthew notified us that she would be finishing at Girton at the end of Term 2 to teach Literacy at Victory Christian College. Mrs Matthew has provided excellent service at our school for the past eight years as a classroom teacher and, before that, as a CRT and Library Specialist. She will be very much missed, and we wish her well as she moves on to an exciting new opportunity.

While we are sorry to see Mrs Matthew go, we are pleased to announce that Mrs Josie Beks will be returning from leave and will take up the position in Year Three. Mrs Beks is looking forward to returning to us and reconnecting with our students and families.

Mr Don Thompson

Head of Junior School

Commemorating the Bunya Pine tree

Some of our Year 3 and 4 students recently took part in a special drawing experience, heading outdoors to sketch the Bunya Pin en plein air before it was removed. After the holidays, they returned to their work and completed their artworks with paint following the tree’s removal, creating a powerful link across time.

The Bunya Pine was a much-loved part of our school landscape, and commemorating it in this way has been both meaningful and significant. This project highlights the unique role art plays in recording moments, preserving memories, and telling the story of our shared environment. We look forward to finding a special place in the school to display a selection of these artworks for our community to enjoy for many years to come.

Ms Leanne James

Junior School Teacher of Arts

SSV State Swimming Championships

Eight Girton students gave their all at the annual School Sport Victoria (SSV) State Swimming Championships in Melbourne.

The morning session saw Josh Purton (5 Riley), Oskar Hall (5 Jones) and Alex Lee (4 Milllward) take to the pool in individual events. Josh competed in the 11 Boys Butterfly event, setting a personal best. Oskar finished 4th in the 11 Boys Breaststroke and 6th in Backstroke. Alex delivered an outstanding performance, securing third place in both the 9/10 Boys Freestyle and Butterfly.

In the afternoon, Oskar, Josh, Astin Fleming (4 Aherne), and Alex competed in the 9–13 Boys Medley Relay, finishing sixth. Astin, Coen Tuang (4 Aherne), Thomas Bellis (4 Aherne), and Alex then backed up in the 9–10 Boys Freestyle Relay, achieving an excellent second place.

The day concluded with Jonty Hooke (5 Riley), Oskar, Josh, and Juho Kim (5 Riley) finishing seventh in the 11 Boys Freestyle Relay. Congratulations to all of competitors, who represented our school and region with pride and positivity.

Applications open for 2026 Tournament of Minds

Tournament of Minds (TOM) is back for 2026, offering students a fun, challenging and highly rewarding opportunity to collaborate, create and think outside the box. Open to students from Year 4 to Year 10, this exciting co-curricular program runs across Terms 2, 3 and 4, with successful teams progressing to State and potentially National level (held in Sydney or interstate locations).

So, what is Tournament of Minds? Students work in teams of seven within two divisions (Years 4–6 and Years 7–10) to solve a complex challenge and present their solution as a creative skit of up to ten minutes. Teams are given six weeks to develop their long-term solution, supported by a staff facilitator. On Tournament Day, teams will also tackle a spontaneous challenge, requiring quick thinking, teamwork and creativity under pressure.

There is something for everyone, with four disciplines to choose from:

The Arts
Language Literature
Social Sciences
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)

How to apply: Students interested in participating must complete an application form via ASTRA and attend a try-out session. Applications open from Monday 4th May to Friday 15th May. Try-outs will be held on Thursdays from 3:30pm–4:30pm in the Junior School Library during Weeks 5–7 of Term 2. These sessions are designed to be fun, engaging and accessible - students are encouraged to come along, even if they are unsure. It’s a great chance to give it a go and perhaps discover a hidden talent! During the sessions, students will participate in a variety of individual and group activities while TOM staff observe collaboration, creativity and problem-solving skills. All applicants will be notified of the outcome on Monday 8th June.

Rehearsals and commitment: Successful students will attend weekly rehearsals on Thursdays from 3:30pm–4:30pm, beginning 11th June and continuing through to the end of Term 3. Our dedicated staff, experienced past TOM students and supportive parent community all contribute to making this a fantastic experience for participants. Interested parents are warmly invited to get involved.

Cost: The cost to participate in TOM is $30, which covers registration, team expenses and materials for props and costumes.

Key dates:

Auditions: Thursday 21st May, 28th May and 4th June (3:30pm–4:30pm)
Regular Meetings: Thursdays from 11th June (3:30pm–4:30pm)
Regional Rehearsals: Friday 31st July and Thursday 6th August
Regional Tournament (La Trobe Bendigo): Saturday 15th August
State Rehearsal: Wednesday 2nd September
State Tournament (La Trobe Bundoora): Sunday 13th September
National Rehearsal: Monday 26th October
National Tournament (Darwin): Saturday 31st October

Tournament of Minds is a wonderful opportunity for students to challenge themselves, build confidence and work as part of a team. We encourage all interested students to apply and get involved.

Mrs Viv Bath and Varley Bobart (TOM Captain)