Message from the Principal

James Penson

Welcome back to Term 2!

I hope everyone was able to enjoy some family time over the Easter break and recharge ready for the very busy and very short term ahead. Once again, I enjoyed my annual trip to Pambula (one of my favourite places on Earth!).

The weather was the best and the water temperature and quality amazing. I always really enjoy the weather at this time of the year. We still have some warm days, but cooler nights and mornings and we can often enjoy those beautiful sunrises and golden evening sunsets. Our Indigenous Australians identify six or seven seasons depending on their location. Wurundjeri Woiwurrung people identify this time as Iuk (eel) and Waring (wombat) seasons which is part of Berrip (early winter).

PS – this photo was taken outside a camping shop in Merrimbula….a very large camp chair indeed!

LOOKING FORWARD TO TERM 2

We have a lot to look forward to this term. As always it will be action packed and engaging. Some of the events this term include:

Further implementation of our High Impact Learner Agency Traits’ (HILAT’S)
District & Division Cross Country
House Athletics
School Photos
Continuous Reporting
Maths Olympiads, Explorers and Games
Year 1& 2 Swimming lessons
Mothers & Special Person’s Day (and Parent Association Stall)
Working Bee
Incursions and excursions
Multi-Age House Groups Cultural Understanding Day

And much, much more!

You can keep up to date by checking in with our newsletter each week, using our calendar on Compass, watching Two Minute Tuesday’s each week and of course our year level teams will send out several communications this term.

HIGH IMPACT LEARNER AGENCY TRAITS (HILAT’S)

This term, across Years 1-6, we continue our focus on the High Impact Learner Agency Trait of “Using Feedback”. (Note that our Prep students will focus on “Being Open to the New”. This particular HILAT was focused on last year across the school and moving forward is now part of our sequence for prep students each year).

Effective Feedback helps students take charge of their learning. By understanding and reflecting on feedback, they set goals and develop strategies for improvement. Over time, they become less reliant on external guidance, applying feedback independently and fostering a growth mindset. This process builds confidence, encourages self-reflection, and helps students become motivated, responsible learners.

Using Feedback has links to our other HILAT’s such as Acting with Courage, Being Reflective, Being Open to the New and Being Persistent.

You can read more about this in our Learning & Wellbeing section of our newsletter next week we will share more about the four developmental stages we have developed as part of Using Feedback.

GET SET CONNECT…..CONTINUES

We had such a positive start to our school year and to really build on that, we will continue our Get Set Re-Connect program for the very beginning of this term. Our purpose in doing this is to:

Reconnect with student/teacher relationship
Re-connect with peer-to-peer relationships
Re-establish classroom expectations
Reestablish expectations for a calm and orderly environment

Whilst Get Set and Connect looks different across the year levels, it all focuses on building a learning environment that is safe, happy and therefore allowing students to be ready to learn.

ANZAC DAY COMMEMORATION EVENTS

Each ANZAC Day, the Greensborough RSL Sub-Branch invite our school to attend the ANZAC Day Memorial Service on the 25th of April. The Service will be held at the Greensborough War Memorial Park – Corner of Ester and McDowell Streets, Greensborough VIC 3088 commencing at 9.15am and concluding around 10am. This year our school will also be involved in the march to the service. This starts at 8.45am (form up from 8.30am) outside the Greensborough RSL (111 Main Street Greensborough). If your family is attending, it would be GREAT for them to wear Greenhills School uniform as a mark of respect. Our student leaders who attend will also be able to lay a wreath on behalf of our school community.

QUESTION OF THE WEEK

My “Question Prompt for This Week” focuses on “Using Feedback”

What feedback did you get this week, and what do you think it meant?

James Penson,

Principal.