From the School Leadership Team
School Band Programme
It is a pleasure to announce that we are launching our school band programme for students in Years 3 - 6. This provides students who are interested to be able to learn a range of instruments including flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet or trombone. Students will be able to participate in a range of weekly group tutorials and rehearsals as part of the programme. A letter from Mrs Ali is attached outlining details of the programme and the opportunity for students to try out a range of instruments to discover what they might be best suited to. Mrs Ali has been able to negotiate an excellent price for the programme at $30 per week to cover the cost of tuition, plus the cost of instrument hire.
Winter Sport Registrations
It is hard to believe that Term 1 has moved so quickly and that we are already putting out registrations for our winter sports. We offer basketball as a Saturday sport during winter for all year groups, as well as Lacrosse for Years 3- 6 (also on Saturdays). Netball is conducted on Monday evenings for under 7's and under 9's and on Friday evenings for under 11's and under 13's.
We are really close to being able to form a couple of netball teams this year and I very much commend this opportunity to our school families. The registration links and associated sport information are below for you.
Basketball
https://www.goldengrove.sa.edu.au/basketball-club/
Netball
https://www.goldengrove.sa.edu.au/netball-club/
Lacrosse
https://www.goldengrove.sa.edu.au/lacrosse-club/
Foundation Classrooms
Work is continuing on our Foundation classrooms. The steelwork frame will be installed next week. The retaining wall and ramp to the oval and basketball courts will also be rebuilt in late March and early April. We are certainly excited at the prospect of having the ramp back! We are awaiting a final engineering inspection on the middle (Junior Primary) playground following the installation of a new retaining wall there, and envisage that this should reopen during March as well.
School Building Fund
The school building fund is an excellent way to make a tax-deductible donation towards our building programme, both now and into the future.
Our School Master Plan has been developed to allow us to work on the most important new and existing buildings first as finances permit.
Upcoming projects include:
- New Foundation Classrooms (to be completed July 2024)
- An Early Learning Centre for 3 and 4 year olds
- Development of a Gymnasium and Sports precinct near the School Oval.
Other smaller projects being planned include enhancements and reconfiguration of our Music and STEM areas (also in July 2024).
You can help to accelerate these exciting projects by giving to our School Building Fund.
If you would like to donate to the school building fund, please complete an electronic deposit to :
GGLPS Building Fund
BSB 704-942
Account 100 242 340
Reference – your name
The school will forward you a receipt which you will then be able to claim against this year’s tax return.
This may be the last year that tax deductible donations could be made to the school building fund, as the Federal Government are currently reviewing the deductible gift recipient status of all school building funds across Australia. We are also looking to acknowledge and thank all of our generous donors and volunteers in the school yearbook this year.
Eisugakkan Visit and Japan Study Tour
We are looking forward to a number of year 5 students from Eisugakkan visiting our school in the first week of Term 3 - from Wednesday 24 July through to Sunday 28 July. We are seeking expressions of interest and assistance in a few different areas.
- We are arranging an optional camp for year 5 and 6 students who would like to spend the night with the Eisugakkan students at AFL Max on Friday 26 July. The cost will be $160 per student for those students that would like to 'opt in' for this experience. It will prove to be a valuable time for the students to be able to make new friends, practice their Japanese and make some great cross-cultural connections.
- We would love the opportunity for our visiting Eisugakkan students to be able to have a 'homestay' with our students and families. We have about 20 students visiting from Eisugakkan this year and would love to have enough parent volunteers for them to be able to spend Saturday and Saturday night on the 27th of July with our students and families, being dropped back to their hotel on the Sunday morning of the 28th.
We are finalising costs for the year 5/6 study tour to Japan later in the year. We plan to travel to Japan and visit Eisugakkan school, as well as a range of other sites around Japan, from Monday 23 September - Friday 4 October (the last week of term 3 and first week of the school holidays).
Our travel agent is currently updating the prices to reflect 2024 fares, and Sensei Bishop is working to find some savings in the itinerary, as the current projected cost is about $5500 per child and $6000 per adult. We plan to hold an information session in the next month once these details are finalised.
If you are interested in hosting a homestay student for one evening (this is open to all families across the school) or are interested in you and your year 5 or 6 child attending the Japan Study Tour (and you have not already completed an expression of interest), please contact Melissa Bishop, our Teacher of Japanese via bishop.melissa@goldengrove.sa.edu.au
Harmony Day
Harmony Day is coming up on Monday 25 March. We are excited about this special day where we can celebrate and share the range of different cultures that make up our school community. The children love coming in their traditional cultural costumes on the day.
We will hold a special assembly and worship service on the day at 9.00am, and all families are welcome.
Please note that this means that Foundation sharing at Assembly will now happen on Monday 8 April (in Week 11), rather than on Monday 25 March. We apologise for the change and hope that it does not inconvenience any families.
Chapel
A reminder that Chapel will be held on Thursday 21 March at 8.50am rather than Friday 22 March, as we have Sports Day taking place on the Friday.
Strategic Plan
We have an exciting year ahead as we embark on the implementation of our new strategic plan. We are energised by our purpose to enrich the lives of children and each individual in our school community, and beyond the school environment. With a Christ- centred foundation, we foster an inclusive environment where everyone can belong, explore and thrive. Equally exciting are our new values - love, collaborate and explore, which will underpin all that we do, as well as our strategic priority areas of:
• Excellence and innovation in learning
• Well-being and culture
• Community and Partnerships
• School Development
Parent Lounge
We are excited that our new parent portal, Parent Lounge, has been launched this year. This is a great way to be able to check that your contact details and your child's medical details are up to date, as well as to be able to view the school calendar.
Please check your email for the login information sent in Week 1 of term, and you are most welcome to be in touch with us if you have any queries around the login process.
A few reminders
Please be reminded of some of our key events to commence the year:
- Friday 22 March - Sports Day
- Monday 25 March - Harmony Day (please note changes to assembly on this day)
- Friday 29 March - Good Friday
- Monday 1 April - Easter Monday
- Tuesday 2 April - Parent - Teacher Interviews
- Wednesday 3 April - Parent - Teacher Interviews
- Friday 5 April - Messy Church (evening)
- Monday 8 - Wednesday 10 April - Year 3/4 Camp
- Friday 12 April - Closing Service - 2.20pm
Will Wallace
Principal
Happy Families!
The title says it all. There are many ways to a happy family but I’m sure you know that it’s not always smooth sailing. This year we have joined Dr Justin Coulson’s Happy Families. Throughout the year I will be providing you with many articles and webinars to help support families in what you can do to support having a happy family.
The first article I am sharing talks about providing challenges for your child. This comes in many forms including new learning, schoolwork, friendships and social challenges. Having challenges ensures children learn how to deal with different situations.
James Anderson writes about what we can do as parents. I love the notion of the comfort zone v the learning zone. If we are always in the comfort zone we are learning, but not challenging and not allowing our children to really learn deeply.
Every blessing as you support your child.
Tim Kriewaldt
Deputy Principal