Principal's Update

Angelika Ireland

What an exciting and challenging week this was!

GREENVALE PRIMARY SCHOOL KINDERGARTEN

The excitement of seeing the modules of the kindergarten being craned in and placed onto our school site in such a short time was quite amazing! Some classes came and sat and watched the works in progress. 

Having Bradford Avenue blocked for that time, caused a challenge with keeping the traffic flowing at drop off and pick up times. This was supported by traffic controllers and by our staff. Thank you to the many staff who gave their time in the morning to assist students to transition safely to their classrooms. Thank you also to all the parent/carers for their patience in the traffic and for their courtesy to other drivers and pedestrians.

The kindergarten will be operational for the start of the 2025 school year. It will offer 15 hours of FREE Kindergarten sessions for 3- and 4-year-olds. Tours of the Kindergarten will be held once the construction of the building is complete.

Northern Schools Early Years (NSEY) has been appointed as the Approved Provider for the new kindergarten.

If you have a child who is eligible to attend Kinder next year and you would like to enrol them at the Greenvale Primary School Kindergarten, please contact our school office or call the NSEY office on 306 1662.

FLYING TO FOUNDATION                           

Our new students, who will be in Foundation in 2025, attended their first session of the ‘Flying to Foundation’ transition program last week. At this stage, we have just under 70 new Foundation students who will be starting their school life at Greenvale next year. Amongst the families who already have older children at Greenvale, there were many families who are new to our community, and we welcome them.

All children were given a special ‘Flying to Foundation’ T-shirt that they wear to each transition session to give them a sense of belonging. Students will attend six 75-minute sessions over the remainder of the term culminating in a ’Meet Your Teacher’ session at the end. This will give all new Foundation students an opportunity to get to know their teacher and the children who they will be with next year. It also allows staff to get to know the new students so that when they begin school, their needs can be catered for.

Starting school is a major life transition for children and their families. It is a period of change that can be both challenging and exciting, in which children and families adjust to new roles, identities and expectations, new interactions and new relationships. Transition to school is not a point-in-time event, but rather an experience that starts well before, and extends far beyond, the first day of school.

Many children will start school after having attended kindergarten; while others will have attended childcare, while others may not have attended any formal prior-to-school service. However, all will have developed a range of skills and abilities that form the basis of positive school experiences.

Thanks to Daniella Hadchiti who is leading the organisation of this year’s ‘Flying to Foundation’ program with the support of the current Foundation team.

Alongside the children attending ‘Flying to Foundation”, a ‘Parents as Partners’ program has again been organised for the parents each week. This program has the mantra of ‘Enrolling Your Family and not just your Child’. The parents of our new students attended the first parent session in the staffroom led by Narelle DeYoung, our Leading Teacher in English, who shared with parents what the reading program at school looks like, how children develop their language and reading skills, and how they can support their child’s learning in literacy.  

ANZAC DAY CEREMONY - LEST WE FORGET

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Regards

Angelika Ireland