Message from the Principal 

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

SPECIAL REWARD INCURSION

At a conference a few weeks, we were lucky enough to win a prize for a free incursion from Ranger Jamie Incursions for up to 60 students.

At Greenhills, we value regular attendance and arriving on time so students can make the most of every learning opportunity, so we thought this might be a great way to recognise those students at each level of the school that have consistently high attendance and punctuality.

There was certainly plenty of excitement last Wednesday with Prep to Year 2 students enjoying a spectacular liquid nitrogen demonstration, launching mini rockets and all things science. In fact, you may have even heard one of these experiments from your house it was so loud! 

Students in Years 3–6 explored hovercraft technology through interactive demonstrations, discovering the science of lift, thrust and motion. The highlight being building an actual hovercraft and traveling up and down the Djila Djerring.

We know getting to school isn’t always easy. If your child is struggling with morning routines, arriving on time or not wanting to come to school, please contact a member of our principal team. We are here to listen and work with you to help your child feel connected, confident and ready to learn.

WORDS THAT SHINE - WRITING COMPETITION WINNERS

A huge congratulations to all the students who participated in our Greenhills Writing Competition, and a special well done to our talented winners who were announced at our last assembly! It was fantastic to see so many students embrace the opportunity to display their creativity, imagination and passion for writing. Our winning authors will now work alongside members of our Principal Team to edit and polish their stories before they are sent off to the publishers to produce our very own 2026 Words That Shine book! This special publication will be officially unveiled at a celebration and book launch later this year, where we will recognise the wonderful achievements of our young Greenhills authors. A big thank you and well done to every student who entered. We are incredibly proud of your efforts and can't wait to see your words come to life in print!

THANK YOU TEACHERS – WORLD TEACHERS DAY – FRIDAY 30th OCTOBER

World Teachers' Day will be celebrated in Victoria on Friday 30 October 2025, but at Greenhills we will be celebrating this day a week early this Friday! Our teachers will enjoy a special morning tea over an extended recess. 

The theme this year is to “Shine a Light on Australia’s Teachers” who inspire, support, and empower our children and young people every single day. From lightbulb moments to helping someone find their way, teachers make a difference in ways big and small. This World Teachers' Day, we’re putting that impact in the spotlight. I encourage you to reach out and send a message to a teacher from Greenhills and help shine a light on the awesome work they do at our school. 

ACTION TEAMS IN ACTION

One of the exciting things happening at Greenhills this year has been the incredible work of our Year 5 and 6 Action Teams. These teams are providing our senior students with meaningful opportunities to develop their leadership skills, have a genuine voice in our school and, most importantly, take action to make Greenhills an even better place for everyone.

What has been particularly impressive is the enthusiasm, initiative and sense of responsibility our students are demonstrating. They are learning that leadership is not simply about having a badge or a title, but about having ideas, working with others, solving problems and making a positive difference. Along the way, they are developing so many of the important skills and qualities we value through our HILATs, including teamwork, courage, responsibility and the confidence to turn ideas into action.

For me, one of the most rewarding aspects of this initiative is seeing our students recognise that they have the power to influence and shape their school. Our Year 5 and 6 students are not just preparing to be leaders of the future, they are being leaders right now! They are also learning that leadership comes with challenges, requires persistence and sometimes means stepping outside their comfort zone.

Ultimately, we want every student who finishes their journey at Greenhills to feel that they have contributed something meaningful to our school. Through our Action Teams, our senior students are doing exactly that – leaving their mark, creating a legacy and helping make Greenhills an even G.R.E.A.T.er place to learn and grow. A huge well done to all our students and the staff supporting them. 

END OF YEAR ARRANGEMENTS

With so much happening over the next couple of weeks, here is some important information to assist your family with planning for the end of the school year and the rush into the Christmas. 

Meet the Teacher #1  9.15am – 10.45am Thursday 3rd December (*including 2027 Preps between 9.30am and 10.30am)

Meet the Teacher #2  9.15am – 10.45am Tuesday 8th December (*note not 2027 Preps) 

Semester Two Reports – sent home via Compass on Monday 14th December.

Class of 2026 Graduation – Thursday 10th December

Final Assembly – Farewell Year 6’s – Tuesday 15th December from 2.30pm

Thursday 17th December – STUDENTS DO NOT ATTEND. This is a Professional Practice Day for staff. This is part of the Victorian Government Agreement where schools can hold a common day for all staff. We have selected this day as late in the term as possible (as opposed to an earlier day this term) to minimize the interruption to student learning. 

Friday 18th December – school will finish at 1pm (No Assembly).

In making these arrangements, we will ensure that all class parties and special events are held on or prior to Wednesday 17th December. This will mean that students who do not attend on Friday 18th for the short day will not miss out on anything.

Whilst our school office is always open on school days between 8.15am and 4.15pm, we will not be accepting any parent payments after Friday 11th December. This will provide time for the end of school year financial and administration processes to be completed.

TERM 4 - MEET WITH THE PRINCIPAL TEAM

Keep the date free: Wednesday 18th November at 7.30pm. This will be our Term 4 Mid-Term Meet with the Principal Team. The session will be held via Webex with the link sent out shortly. The main topics that we will cover will be our school structure & class sizes model for 2027.

WE WANT OUR SCHOOL TO BE A BRAVE SPACE

The question for this week is about Learning from mistakes:

 What mistake helped you learn something this week?

James Penson,

Principal.