Messages

Community Conversation

We held our second Community Conversation last Monday with about twenty parents in attendance. We shared the responses to last year's conversation and asked for specific feedback about punctuality, student safety and homework. We also provided a history and update on the Building Program. Thankyou to all for their interest and details will be released in our next newsletter.

First Aid in Schools

Tomorrow, Friday 7th June, every student at Galilee from Year Prep to Six will be involved in a first aid training course through St John’s Ambulance. 

The sessions will be run by St John’s volunteers and is funded through St John First Aid Training, First Aid Kits and Defibrillators. The proceeds from their paid services and products is funnelled into delivering community programs to build resilience and capacity.

See last week's newsletter for details on each year level's session details. 

I trust this will be a beneficial program for all students.

Miss Carmen Carnovale

Community Partnerships and Marketing Leader

Fees Due

A reminder if you are paying your account in three instalments, the second payment is due next week, June 13.

If you have not made a payment in 2019, your account is now overdue. Being a Catholic school we do not get fully funded and rely upon the payment of fees for the running of student programs. We encourage all families to communicate early with the school if you are experiencing difficulty. Please note that late payments, without communication will incur a fee and refer to our policy on the website for more information.

Galilee Music Soiree

Our Galilee Music Soiree for Semester One 2019 is next Wednesday 12th June from 5.00pm - 8.00pm in the school hall. 

Students from our violin, voice, drums, guitar and piano/keyboard lessons will be performing pieces that they have learnt over the semester. 

We have Mamma Van food truck with food available for purchase on the night from 4.30pm - 7.30pm (menu pictured below). 

We hope you can join us for an evening of musical delights from our buddying musicians. 

Save the Date Sustainability Market!

English Night

On Wednesday 19th June from 6-7pm we will be holding an English night in the school hall for parents and children. We will be looking at our reading and spelling programs at Galilee and giving some tips and strategies about how you can best support your child with their learning at home.

Please bring your child along and you can both take part in some reading and spelling activities on the night. If you are interested please confirm that you will be attending via CareMonkey.

Punctuality

We have seen a large decrease in the amount of families arriving after 8:50am. Earlier estimates were that up to 80 students were arriving after 8:50am which is nearly 25% of the student population. School has always begun at 8:50am but previously with an assembly to begin each day. Currently we are trialling students going directly into the classrooms (except Monday). We have always asked students arriving late to sign in at the Office. Arriving late means that learning is missed but also causes an interruption to all other students in the class. It is understandable that due to an appointment or unforeseen circumstances that a family can arrive late occasionally. Other than these circumstances the goal is that students be in the classroom by 8:50am ready to begin classes. Thankyou to everyone who is making an effort to be on time each day. 

Book Club 

Issue 4 orders for Book Club are due by Tuesday 11th June, via the 'Loop App' .

GOSH - TheirCare

Winter came so fast, so we in GOSH greet it with winter art& craft! 

Amazing snowflakes were done by Dante, Ella, Max, Elana, Lily and Jessica, very beautiful snowmen were made by Evie, Annabelle, Maya, Ella and others. There are more "wintery" surprises are about to come, dear parents!

Holiday club program "Super Holiday Fun" is just around the corner, book now at theircare.com.au

Reports

The teachers are finalising the student reports for Semester One. Much time and effort goes

into assessing the children and then writing each child’s report. Much has changed over the

years, in that schools are asked to teach children much more than in years gone by. The world

that the children live in today is complex and the education system reflects this. Semester one reporting comes in two parts.There is the written report, which provides information on what your child has achieved.

Secondly, there is the Student Led Conference, with opportunities over 15 minutes to discuss your child's progress and ask questions about the Report. 

The Report indicates whether your child is at, below or above standard for this time of year. It is important to view the at, below or above standard rating in the context of the teacher comment and skills listed with each Learning Area. Parents need to understand that the children are not compared to other students but against the curriculum.

The reports give an insight into the improvements that the children have made in all Learning Areas. Progression points are listed in increments of six months so if you child has not moved, it does not mean that they haven't progressed. 

As a staff, we are very proud of the progress and results of the children and as parents, you should

be too. For some of you, the reports will be confronting because of areas that need further

work. These areas of improvement could include academic, social, behavioural or interpersonal

skills. It is unrealistic to think that at school or home children are perfect. We should be proud

of the achievements of all children. Even our Prep children who have been here only for six months

have shown significant progress from the day they walked in the classroom door in February. For

most of these Preps, the gains in the second half of the year in all areas will shock their parents.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the staff for their thorough preparation of these reports. Reports are scheduled to be emailed home on Friday June 21st.

Student Led conferences

On Monday 24 and Wednesday 26 June, Student Led Conferences will be held. Both parent/s and student attend the conference on one afternoon. An email will be sent out with instructions on how to book your conference time and date by Monday afternoon. Please note students will finish school at 1.30pm on Monday 24th June. The conferences are for 15 minutes (5 minutes for Reports and 10 minutes for Student Led conversations).

MONDAY 24 Conferences held from 2pm-7pm, students finish school at 1.30pm.

WEDNESDAY 26 Conferences held from 2pm-5pm, students finish at the normal time of 3.25pm.

Debating

On Friday June 21st we are hosting a Debating Competition for the first time. We have three teams from Year 6 competing against a number of other schools with topics to be announced next week. The students were learning about debating in Term One and a club has been practising during Wednesday lunchtimes focussing on the 3 Ms (Method, Manner & Matter). Thankyou to Miss Biggs and Mrs Ferguson who have been coaching the students. We are also competing in another tournament at Elsternwick in September. Goodluck to all of our teams.

Second Hand Uniform Shop Collecting Donations of Winter Uniform