Principals Report

By Frank Catalano

Dear Members of the Glen Waverley Primary School Community,

Welcome to the first newsletter of Term Four and I trust everyone has enjoyed the school holidays.

Learning from Home and Term Four

As you would be aware, Term Four commenced with all of the children continuing Learning from Home (LFH) for the first week and this week we welcomed back all of the children. It certainly has been wonderful to see their smiling faces, bubbly personalities and enthusiastic nature as they returned to school.

A real highlight for me was Monday morning as the children marched towards their school not only with a smile on their faces but the most amazing spring in their steps! As I wondered around the school and joined in conversations, the “buzz” throughout the school was something quite special! What was also rather remarkable is the manner in which the children reconnected with their friends and staff and simply commenced learning as if they had been at school for the entire year!!

Once again, on behalf of the staff, a sincere thank you to all of our school families for the manner in which you have embraced and supported the children and our school’s approach to LFH, as I firmly believe that we all should be incredibly proud of what we have achieved.

Fingers crossed that life returns to a greater sense of normality soon and the events of 2020 will be a distant memory for all of us.

Reflecting on the Covid-19 Pandemic and Linking this to History

Throughout the year the students complete ‘moderated writing tasks’ which the staff then collaborate to ensure consistency of assessment, reporting and planning across the school. This term we will asked the children to write about their experience with Covid – 19, in other words, ‘Living through a Pandemic”, the writing samples will be used for the above purpose and will also be placed in a time capsule for future generations to open. At this stage we are thinking the time capsules will be stamped to open in 2060, 40 years from now which will also coincide with our school’s 100th birthday.

Ms Peele, our Visual Arts teacher, will also ask the children to create art pieces that reflect, ‘Living through a Pandemic’ and these too will be placed in a time capsule.

I have also asked Mrs Stefanidis, our English Learning Specialist, to ask the staff and members of our school community to contribute. Please keep an eye out for a Compass post advising how you can do so.

As you would be aware, the Covid-19 pandemic is a significant part of modern history, which will be written about for many years to come. However, as a proactive learning organisation, how wonderful would it be for the children, staff and parents from our school community to contribute their real-life experiences and in 40 years’ time, the Glen Waverley Primary School community of 2060 will open the capsule and read all about the pandemic from children, staff and parents who lived through it!

Congratulations to Ms Tran

I am very pleased to report that Ms Tran has announced the safe arrival of baby Marcus who was born on the 30th September weighing 4.35kg and 56cm in length. Lindy and Marcus are both at home and are well. Attached is a photo of Marcus with his very proud older brother Lucas. We look forward to seeing Lindy and the boys as soon as possible.

Council of International Schools (CIS) Update

During the last week of Term Three, our school held a CIS Preparatory Visit which the CIS implement in order to assist schools who are about to undertake the accreditation process for the first time, or, as in our case, apply for reaccreditation.

I am enormously proud to report that our Preparatory visit was extremely successful and the CIS have approved for our school to undertake the reaccreditation process. At this stage, this will be conducted in October 2021. I look forward to providing additional information in due course.

Pimlico State High School Reaccreditation Visit

Throughout this week, I have been leading a team of evaluators from Hong Kong, China and Singapore as we assist Pimlico State High School, which is located in Townsville Queensland, with their reaccreditation process. Due to pandemic, the visit is being conducted virtually and I look forward to sharing what I have learnt and how we can use this experience in preparing our school for a successful visit in 2021.

Facilities Update:

During the recent school holidays, the following tasks were completed throughout our school:

New asphalt was laid in between the main building and the Year 3 block. This area also has new line marking and seating
We have also laid new asphalt in the bottom staff car park with accompanying line marking
Additional safety fencing has been installed in the Turning Circle
A new section of concrete has been laid next to the Year 3 building as the previous one had raised and become a trip hazard and
One of the staff bathrooms have been refurbished in order for the staff to have access to additional facilities.

Attached are photos of these works for your enjoyment.

Some of the facilities tasks planned for this term include:

Replacing the shade sails in between the main building and the Performing Arts room
Replace the Year 5 and 6 adventure playground and
Build a staff and school community meeting space near the front entrance to the school – adjacent to the ramp.

Once again, a sincere thank you to all of the members of our school community who have settled their 2020 school account as these funds have been instrumental in improving our school’s facilities.

Congratulations to the Following Students:

Rishan (Year 6) loves to make movies and recently he entered in two film competitions. The first was a film competition run by Quicksound Productions as part of the Monash Youth Film Festival (10-25 yrs old) of which Rishan was one of the youngest finalists, and the second was in the Australian Teachers of Media (ATOM) initiative called The One minute Film Competition. Rishan wrote, directed and created a short film titled, ANZAC Biscuits. I am thrilled to report that Rishan was selected as a finalist for both entries, which is naturally a wonderful achievement. This is the second time Rishan has achieved this, as he was also a finalist in 2018. Rishan’s movie was shared at a recent virtual assembly.

Well-done, congratulations and keep up the fabulous commitment to your film work Rishan! We look forward to hearing the results.

Disas (Year 5) is an avid drummer and recently he received an award from ANZCA. Unfortunately, the award ceremony was cancelled due to the pandemic however, Disas has decided to make YouTube Channel to try to improve his skills and go even further. Congratulations and well done Disas as your determination to succeed is reflected in our school values. A link to Disas’ YouTube channel is below:

https://youtu.be/NlzW1XCZCFY

Saseni (Year 5) is an avid artist and recently she entered an international art competition where more than 18,000 submissions were entered. We are extremely proud to report that Saseni’s art work was shortlisted. J.K Rowling wrote the book and it was initially published online for free for children to enjoy during isolation. Congratulations and well done Saseni, as this is a fabulous achievement, we look forward to your certificate arriving shortly!

Warm Weather

As everyone would be aware, the weather is beginning to warm up hence we strongly encourage all of the students to ensure they bring a drink bottle to school, some sunscreen and naturally their sun smart school hat. A water bottle on the desk will enable the children to have a quick drink and alleviate the need to leave the room and interrupt learning time. If a child does not have a hat at school, they will be required to play under the stage area.

Parent Requests for 2021 Student Grade Placement

The teaching staff are in the process of compiling classes for next year and I would like to take this opportunity to invite parents who have a particular concern/request about their child’s class placement for next year to put this in writing, via email at frank.catalano@education.vic.gov.au or see me by Friday 30th October. Requests after this date will only be considered in exceptional circumstances.

2021 Enrolments

I would like to remind families with children who will be beginning school in 2021 that we are taking enrolments now and that they are also closing rapidly. I strongly encourage you to ensure you return your child’s enrolment form to Jenna, Kylie or Julie in the main office as soon as possible. Alternatively please email me at frank.catalano@education.vic.gov.au and I will send you an enrolment form.

We also ask that members of our school community assist us by informing any of their neighbours, family and friends of the enrolment procedures and direct them to, our website or my email address to obtain an enrolment form. Unfortunately due to the Covid – 19 restrictions, school tours are not possible, however please encourage them to contact me directly on 9802 9938 or via email.

Acknowledging the children’s efforts whilst LFH

As everyone would be aware, at our school we take great pride in acknowledging the children’s effort in various aspects of the learning and behaviour. Unfortunately, LFH makes it difficult for me to distribute Principal Awards hence for the foreseeable future we will acknowledge the children who have been nominated for a Certificate of Success in our school newsletter.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED A CERTIFICATE OF SUCCESS AWARD THIS FORTNIGHT:

Class	Student Name	Reason
Prep A	Rachel	Rachel you have shown an excellent transition to learning at school! You are consistently prepared for your learning, demonstrated by how you apply whole body listening. It was amazing to see you apply the CUPS strategy to edit your writing without being prompted to! Well done Rachel!
Prep B	Ahmad	Ahmad, it is fantastic to see you learn during class discussions, with being an excellent whole- body listener and raising your hand when contributing to classroom discussions. I am also so proud of how you have shown improvement with your resilience, by bouncing back and thinking through your emotions to help solve problems! Keep up the great learning! Well Done ! 😊
Prep C	Aibel	Congratulations Aibel on your Certificate of Success this week. You came back to school with a smile and have been following all of Prep C's class expectations. I was also very impressed with your independent learning. Keep up the amazing effort! We are proud of you!
Prep D	Suditi	Suditi it is fantastic to see you settling into Glen Waverley Primary School so well! You have shown the school values of confidence when completing tasks in Prep D, and respect towards your teachers and peers. Well done Suditi!
Prep E	Mehtab	Well done Mehtab for settling back to school so well. It has been great to see you participate in class discussions respectfully and show persistence’s when completing learning tasks. Excellent effort with your learning! Great job and keep it up😊
1A	Nischay	Nischay has demonstrated a positive mindset showing initiative by taking risks, raising his hand to answer questions and by completing tasks to the best of his ability. Well done, Superstar!
1B	Kyra	Congratulations to Kyra for earning a Certificate of Success this week. She has demonstrated exceptional independent learning skills, as well as integrity and responsibility inside and outside of the learning space. She is a polite, thoughtful, and mindful learner who has made a sensational transition back to face-to-face learning at school. Keep up the fantastic effort Kyra, well done!
1C	Adrisha	Adrisha, congratulations on an incredibly smooth transition back to school and face-to-face learning! You have continued to demonstrate exceptional ‘Getting Along’ skills, especially during our classroom discussions, where you included others and interacted with a range of learners. Furthermore, you displayed unbreakable focus during independent learning time, by ignoring distractions and asking questions that would deepen your understanding. We are very proud of what you have achieved this week!
1D	Kyaan	Kyaan has made excellent progress with his writing over the past week. His positive attitude and dedication to improving his sentence structure, grammar and punctuation has become evident in the quality of his writing. Additionally, Kyaan contributed his thoughts during classroom discussions with enthusiasm and positivity. Congratularions Kyaan!
1E	Baanushan	For showing exceptional growth with his self regulation and motivation in learning. Baanushan has thrived transitioning back into the classroom by engaging with his peers and learning with an enthusiastic approach . It has been wonderful to see him sharing his Problem Solving skills during Maths Talks . Baanushan should be extremely proud of his efforts during our first week back at school . Well done!
2A	Samyukthaa	This award has been presented to Samyukthaa for finding her confidence and voice throughout the year. She has demonstrated her ability to stand up in front of her peers on multiple occasions to present her thoughts and ideas on a variety of learning and personal topics. During Mathematics Samyukthaa has gained the attention of the class to model learning tasks and confidently explains how she calculated her answer using her mathematical strategies. Samyukthaa has learnt to project her voice so she is heard amongst the students demonstrating the school values of integrity and initiative. Keep being a confident and positive role model Samyukthaa and congratulations!
2B	Anna	Congratulations Anna on the learning you have been undertaking at home. It is consistently neat and orderly. You value the feedback and feedforward that is provided to you by editing and revising your learning. You have been a wonderful participant during the morning and afternoon meetings, always ready for your show and share.
2C	Manuthi	For having such a fantastic start to Term 4. You have adjusted well to being back in the classroom, showing confidence in your learning and interaction with your peers. I’m so proud of how you have managed to transfer your confidence in talking about your learning from video conferences into the classroom. You have shown great effort in all areas of your learning and it is fantastic to see you working independently to complete your learning and work through the struggle. Keep up the fabulous learning, Manuthi!
2D	Marcus	Congratulations Marcus for a very well deserved Certificate of Success this week! Marcus has been showing incredible persistence when completing all learning displaying initiative and trying his personal best. He collaborates with his peers through Teams contributing his valuable ideas and asking questions if necessary. Well done Marcus, keep it up!
2E	Sunny	For displaying our School Values, especially those of Integrity, Global Empathy and Respect. Your motivation in having regard and consideration for others, displaying kindness and sensitivity and treating others the way you wish to be treated, is a testament to your dedication to developing your capacity as a valuable and compassionate member of Glen Waverley Primary School. Keep up the awesome learning, Sunny!
3A	Fin	Congratulations Fin for an excellent week of learning back at school! You have shown dedication and a positive mindset with being back and getting back into routine, you should be very proud of your efforts! Keep up your determination that you have showed in your project regarding the lemon tree and ensuring we have a perfect spot for it! Well done Fin!
3B	Alexander	Congratulations Alexander on a fantastic first week back at school – I especially enjoyed how you integrated yourself back into our classroom. I’m also really proud of how you worked in groups in Maths – keep up the wonderful learning! 😊
3C	Sahana	Congratulations Sahana on receiving the Certificate of Success. You have transitioned back into the classroom with confidence and a positive mindset. It has been fantastic to hear the different strategies you used while learning from home to help you be successful. Your motivation towards your learning thus far has been impressive. Keep up the great work!!
3D	Vansh	For being a determined learner and making a concerted effort in his transition back into the classroom. With your friends, you continue to show patience, choosing strategies when you feel frustrated that create positive outcomes. With your teachers, you have been respectful by acknowledging them each day and listening to all instructions. You should be proud of your effort! Well done Vansh!
3E	Vidushi D	Vidushi D, in recognition of her extremely creative cat limerick. I loved how you carefully thought about the syllables used and how it tells a clear story and I enjoyed your creative use of the phrase ‘Superman’s descendant’. Charlie really must be an amazing cat! Well done, Vidushi!
4A	Sakshi	Congratulations Sakshi on receiving our Certificate of Success! You have shown incredible adaptability, resilience and confidence during your first week at GWPS. Both your teacher and all your peers acknowledge and admire the ease with which you have settled in and the way in which you have applied yourself so brilliantly to all your learning. You are an outstanding role model of bravery and strength to all your new friends! Well done !
4B	Elaine	Congratulations on receiving the Certificate of Success! You have demonstrated the keys of Organisation and Getting Along during your first week back to on-site learning. You have thoroughly impressed me by your ability to get started on your learning tasks right away and without distractions. Your learning space is always kept organised and your book work is set out neatly. You have collaborated beautifully and demonstrated your social skills both in and outside of the classroom. It has been wonderful watching you re-connect with your friends! Keep up the excellent learning, Elaine! I’m so proud of you.
4C	Rujuta	This is awarded to Rujuta for being an outgoing and friendly member of 4C. You have effortlessly integrated into our classroom and we couldn't be happier to have you. Please continue to bring your positive energy and bright smile to the learning environment as it is greatly valued. Congratulations and enjoy the remainder of the year!
4D	Aarav	Congratulations Aarav on earning a Certificate of Success this week. Throughout your first weeks of face to face learning here at GWPS, you have demonstrated confidence and resilience not only in your learning, but outside on the playground too. Well done for all the effort you have put into your learning this week and for asking questions and seeking support. Congratulations on demonstrating great motivation and persistence! Keep up the fabulous effort Aarav!
4E	Thien-An	This is awarded to Thien-An for an incredible week transitioning back to school. You have shown incredibe resilience and focus by reflecting on your zones of regulation. I’m so proud of you and know that you feel the same way. I look forward to seeing you continue to stay in green zone, focus on your learning and connect with your peers. Well done Thien-An!
5A	Mustafa	Congratulations to Mustafa for demonstrating increased confidence in his personal and social demeanour upon return to on-site schooling. He has taken positive risks in re-establishing connections with others in the class and has shown growing persistence with learning tasks set before him. Well done on being a champ, Mustafa!
5B	Niles	Niles you have adjusted to Learning from School so well that it seems like you never completed Learning from Home! Your transmission to school has been seamless. You have demonstrated respect towards your teacher and your parents. Most important of all you have really enjoyed your time back and it is so lovely to have you in the classroom again!
5C	Sanuki	Congratulations to Sanuki for demonstrating excellent self-motivation and initiative. She showed this by recognising areas for improvement in learning and by setting herself up for success in Term 4. She is now well equipped to have a very successful final term in 5C. Well done on all your incredible efforts, Sanuki!
5D	Sevin	Congratulations Sevin for a fantastic transition back to school. You demonstrated that when in the Learning Pit you apply strategies to help you with the Productive Struggle. It was wonderful to see you take positive risks in your learning this week. Keep up the fantastic learning and I look forward to see you transfer this to your independent tasks. Well done!
5E	Coco	The Certificate for Success this week goes to Coco. The class would like to give Coco the certificate of success for her improved English skills throughout learning from home. When she arrived back to school she shared with us her art works and talked about how she does classes. Lots of the students were so happy to see her work. Well done Coco. It is so lovely to have you with us here.
6A	Alvin	Alvin has made an outstanding start to Term Four. Since we have returned to school Alvin has shown that he is kind, courteous and conscious of others. In this time he has also been a dedicated learner who has focused on the task at hand. Keep it up Alvin.
6B	Peter	Congratulations Peter, for the persistent and positive attitude you carry into our class each day, virtual and on campus. You have a brilliant attitude and a healthy growth mindset. Your abilities, to listen attentively, to spread kindness, to communicate sincerely, to maintain motivation, are not easy ones to come by for many people. You make these things look so effortless! Thank you for being a bright spot for the class so many times during the last few months. Well done.
6C	Shreya	Dear Shreya, you are a driven, responsible and enthusiastic learner. You have a demonstrated a strong sense of empathy and an ambitious attitude towards all of your endeavours at school. Your temperament is always bright and you have already proven yourself as an invaluable member of our learning community. Well done and thank you!
6D	Anika	Congratulations Anika for receiving the Certificate of Success! You have continuously been stepping out of your comfort zone by collaborating with different peers and sharing your ideas. Your bubbly personality have provided your friends so much support and happiness when you are together. Keep up the fantastic effort and connections built in this class! Well done!
6E	Anna	Anna, it has been a pleasure to observe your perseverance and positive attitude while transitioning back into the classroom this term. You are an independent learner who continually works tough and gives effort across all areas of your learning! Thank you for your high level of organisation, independence, positive attitude and for successfully transferring your new skills learnt when learning from home. Congratulations Anna!

Take care and wishing everyone a fabulous fortnight ahead!

Frank Catalano

Principal