From the Principal 

Dear Parents & Carers,

What a difference a little bit of sunshine can make to our day! It seems to multiply our zest for life. 

Our students and teachers have worked very hard this term. The teaching and learning that is happening at Gilgai Plains Primary is outstanding and we are starting to see the impact of this in our school data. We are very fortunate to have teachers who have a passion for learning and continuing to improve their craft. I cannot emphasise enough how lucky we are to have such a dedicated and hard working staff who are very committed to making a difference in the lives of their students. It’s been a very busy term and I hope both students and staff get time to relax and refuel.

Camping Program

Our Year 5 and 6 campers enjoyed sunny days in the city on their urban camp. They enjoyed visits to the MCG, the State Library, the Shrine of Remembrance and the iconic Queen Victoria Market. Students and teachers made their way around using our public transport and learning how to navigate our beautiful city. Our students made us very proud by behaving with kindness and respect and showing a zest for learning all about what Melbourne has to offer. I would like to thank our students for their exemplary behaviour and their gratefulness and also give a very big thank you to our staff for their hard work and the care they give our Gilgai Plain’s students. Going to camp is not a holiday for teachers. Whilst they have fun interacting with our wonderful students, they are constantly on duty, ensuring the wellbeing of each and every child, 24 hours a day. I know we had a few anxious parents, so thank you for putting your trust in our staff and allowing your child to have this very special and valuable experience. 

Camps at GPPS play a significant role in a child's overall development and education. Our camps are designed to be both fun and educational, and they offer several important benefits:they help students develop social skills, build friendships, and learn how to work as part of a team. They foster independence as children have to manage their daily routines and responsibilities. Children achieve success in activities outside the classroom which can boost their self-esteem and confidence and help them see that they are capable of more than they might have thought. Perhaps most importantly, our camps are fun and memorable experiences. Our children often form lasting memories and friendships during these times, which can have a positive impact on their overall well-being.

Our Year 4 camp to Sovereign Hill is happening in Week 3 of next term. This camp experience links to the History Unit being studied by our Year 4 cohort and will no doubt be full of fun and adventure.

Double Storey Classrooms 

We have been successful in securing 4 double storey classrooms that will be situated along the northern fence line (behind our gym) and will be home to our senior school students in 2024. This is very exciting for us as it means that the single relocatables between the basketball courts and the kindergarten can be removed and a new play space be created. Double storey classrooms take up less space than the equivalent number of single storey rooms, which is important for the footprint of our school. We are also receiving more toilet blocks and 2 specialist rooms. Temporary fencing around the area will be put up this week and everything should be ready and installed later in term 4. This means there will be no interruptions to learning for our students either this year or next year.

Staffing 2024

Next term we will begin introducing our new staff who will begin at Gilgai Plains in 2024, on our Facebook page. When we recruit, we ensure we get the best. Our teachers must share our high expectations for teaching and learning and share our values of Kindness, Respect, Learning Together and of course, have buckets of Zest. We are excited for you to meet them.

New Playground

Our new Ninja Warrior Course for our Year 5 and 6 students is completed. Our students tried it out this week and LOVED it! It’s a challenging course and will certainly develop perseverance, resilience and fitness. 

I wish all of our families a lovely break. Hopefully the sun will continue to shine and our students have the chance to unwind. Term 4 is looking to be another very busy term for us.

Please feel welcome to bring your family to school to use our courts and playgrounds. We are very happy for our students to be accompanied by an adult and to use our resources on the weekends and holidays. 

Take care and we will see you all in 2 weeks.

Anthea Jamieson

Principal