Principal's Report

By Frank Catalano

Welcome back everyone!

I trust everybody was able to enjoy a relaxing school holiday and Easter break! It certainly has been wonderful to share the various school holidays stories with the children as they outlined where they went and what they got up to. For me it is always a joy to be part of these stories!

Enjoy Term two everyone and please do not hesitate to see me at school or contact me on 9802 9938 or at frank.catalano@education.vic.gov.au if you have an issue to discuss or a query.

Welcome to the following new students

May I extend a very warm welcome to the following new children and their families to the Glen Waverley PS family:

Prep: Humsikha

Year 1: Shanudri and Jason

Year 3: Javis and Curtis

Year 5: Thinura

Year 6: Daniella, Vivan and Justin

What has occurred in our school throughout the school holidays?

The school holidays are an opportune time for trade people to complete tasks; these holidays we:

Continued the development of our new indigenous garden – painted the external wall and planted a variety of native plants

Installed new shelving in various classrooms

Refurbished the student bathrooms near the library

Repaired the drain at the front of the school and
Repaired the drainage issue pertaining to the bathrooms in the Early Learning Centre.

Another exciting and somewhat overdue project was the installation of the drinking troughs the children raised funds for as part of the Colour Fun Run last year. Unfortunately, it was not possible to install the troughs directly on to the main building and also the Year 3 building as the Besser bricks are too thin. As a result, we had to source a company that was able to create a base for them to be placed in and then attached to the frame of the building. It is wonderful that this project has been completed and everyone is able to enjoy the drinking troughs!

Staffing Update

As mentioned in our previous newsletter, may I take the opportunity to welcome:

Ms. Annie Lui who has returned to our school after teaching in Korea. Annie is teaching 5C for the remainder of the school year
Mr Solly (Sol) Moosa who has joined our school maintenance and school improvement team
Ms. Michelle Macpherson, an experienced Educational Psychologist, has joined our allied health team and
Ms. Ishpreet Manchanda, who has joined our Learning Assistant/s team

Please join me in welcoming Annie, Solly, Michelle and Ishpreet to the Glen Waverley Primary School family and may I suggest you make yourself known to them.

Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal

As a proactive and international minded organisation, it is very important that our school also acknowledges and is involved in local events. This year Sahana, Sara and Akeesha (Year 4) wanted to achieve something special by raising funds for the Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal and the vehicle they chose to do was the GWPS Coin Race. And wow, what a resounding success the day was as all of the classes created their own coin races, counted the amount of money they raised and then waiting to hear the results at our final assembly for the term.

Congratulations to the following classes for raising the most funds:

1st place – 3C who raised $201.30

2nd place – 4B who raised $191.25 and

3rd place – 1D who raised $188.30

The first 3 places in the Coin Race were – remember of the aim of this event was to have the longest line of coins!

1st place and overall winner of the 2023 Coin Race, with a line measuring 21.8m was 5D

2nd place – 1D with a line measuring 19.8m and

3rd place – 3A with a line measuring 17.6m

May I also take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge some of the children’s individual efforts such as Izzy (Year 5) and her sister Ella (Year 3) who each donated $132 of their pocket money – well done and thank you Izzy and Ella as you spirit of generosity is outstanding!

Overall, our school raised $3,475.65 – something that we all should be incredibly proud of! Well done, congratulations and thank you everyone!

Congratulations to our school chess team

Prior to the school holidays, our school chess team participated in their first tournament for the year against 7 other primary schools and a total of 63 participants. I am very proud to announce that the children placed 1st overall with a significant margin between our school and the school that placed second. Our team scored 22.5 points with Vikas (6E), Amaya (3C), Reyan (4A) & Saheli ( 3C) being our top four players. It was also heartening to see both the overall individual winner and the first runner up were from our school with Vikas leading the way with 6.5 points followed by Amaya 6 points. In addition, 8 of our team members were within the top 20 players of the tournament which is outstanding.

Our team consisted of:
Year 6: Vikas, Dev, Yuvraj and Dhruv
Year 5: Yuvraj
Year 4: Reyan, Swara, Yehara and Sarvang
Year 3: Amaya, Saheli, Lesara and Shayana
Year 2: Ethan, Jamie, Samuel and Tehan and
Year 1: Reyashi

Congratulations and well done children as you should be incredibly proud of yourselves! Also thank you to the numerous parents who were able to assist throughout the day too. We all look forward to hearing how our team goes in the next school tournament.

Continuing the chess theme, recently a number of children and some parents participated in the Box Hill Chess Club championships, and I am thrilled to report that our school had a number of participants who placed in the top 3 – including some parents, congratulations everyone!

Also, Yehara and Thehan recently participated in the Northern Star chess tournament and Yehara sent me the following email:

Dear Mr Catalano,

I hope you are staying well and safe. I am Yehara from Year 4. My brother Thehan is in Year 2 and I participated in the Northern Star🌟 chess tournament on 3/4/23. We played the chess tournament in Frankston.

I got a bronze medal in the girl’s category. Thehan got a gold medal in the Prep-Grade Two category. I got 4 points and Thehan got 5 points. Thehan was the best chess player in the Prep-Grade Two category.

There were 141 participants in the chess tournament and only my brother and I represented our school.

Kind Regards,

Yehara

Well done Yehara and Thehan – keep up the fabulous attitude towards playing chess and we all look forward to hearing how you go at the next tournament!

Congratulations to Arena

Arena (Year 6) is a dedicated and committed golfer who has experienced success in local, national and international events. Earlier this year she was nominated for the 2022 Victorian School Sports Award, and I am thrilled to report that she is the successful recipient of this most prestigious award! Congratulations, well done and keep up the amazing attitude, dedication and commitment to your chosen sport Arena and hopefully one day we will all see you playing golf on television against the best players in the world!

To further acknowledge Arena’s achievements, we are in the process of creating a photo frame/plaque which will be proudly displayed in our school corridor. I look forward to sharing this with everyone as soon as possible.

Congratulations to Ayaan

Ayaan (Year 5) loves to sing and recently we were notified that Ayaan has been selected to join the Victorian State School Choir which is a fabulous achievement. Well done and congratulations Ayaan as you should be incredibly proud of this and we all look forward to hearing all about this experience and seeing you at the event!

Congratulations to Farhan

Farhan (Year 2) is a very keen sportsperson and recently he shared the following achievements at an assembly:

Farhan achieved 12 PB stars in little athletics – this was recognised with a trophy and medals
He also plays cricket and received a trophy for the best baller in his team under 7.

Well done and congratulations Farhan – keep up the fabulous attitude towards your sporting ambitions!

Vacation Care Program

It was wonderful to see the large number of children who participated in the recent Vacation (School Holiday) Care program which was once again an outstanding success with the children completing a magnitude of activities. Congratulations to Meththa and her team of assistants and thank you to the numerous families who supported the program.

Student Learning Awards

As a school community it is very important that we acknowledge and celebrate the wonderful achievements of our staff, parents and students. One way of accomplishing this is by participating in award ceremonies throughout the year and also at the end of each term. Our end of term award is provided by the Kiwanis Club of Waverley and we are extremely grateful for their continued support to our school in the form of the Terrific Kids program. The program is a student recognition program that promotes character development, self-esteem, and perseverance. At our school the teachers nominate one student from each area of the school – Preps, 1/2, 3/4 and 5/6.

Congratulations to the following students who received The Terrific Kids Award for Term One 2023:

Name	Level	Reason
Abhi	Prep	This term Abhi has shown great personal growth and should be commended for embodying the qualities of a ‘TERRIFIC Kid’ – Thoughtful, Enthusiastic, Respectful, Responsible, Inclusive, Friendly, Inquisitive and Capable. Abhi is a highly motivated and enthusiastic learner in Prep C who is dedicated to always trying his best with any set task. His ‘have a go’ attitude and willingness to help his peers has been nothing short of amazing. Abhi radiates confidence during whole class and group learning, eager to share his insightful thoughts and ideas. He has shown initiative by being prepared for his learning and encouraging others to follow. It has been lovely to see him build great friendships in the class and be inclusive of all learners. Well done Abhi for being an amazing role model in Prep C and for always having a positive attitude towards learning. You’re a superstar!
Harley	1	Congratulations to Harley for receiving the Kiwanis award for Level One. You have worked incredibly hard at developing your self-regulation skills and have become increasingly independent with this. You consistently try your best and have been participating in learning tasks all by yourself more and more frequently. The “I Can Do It” approach to your learning has been very helpful to your development, and I encourage you to keep it up! Congratulations on a wonderful start to Year One, Harley; a term full of tremendous growth for you.
Akshara	3	Congratulations on receiving the Kiwani Award, Akshara! You have transitioned into Year 3 beautifully. You continue to show the Glen Waverley Primary School Values of Initiative, Respect, Getting Along and Integrity. I am so impressed with your constant dedication to your learning. You always strive to achieve your very best and continuously show care to everyone around you. Thank you for always bringing your positive energy into 3D. Your smile really brights up the classroom. I am very proud of you! Keep up the excellent work, Akshara! Congratulations.
Vedanath	5	Vedanath is a well rounded learner that cares for others and always seeks to understand his learning to a deep level. He leans into productive struggle and always asks meaningful questions that will help prompt his own and others thinking. Alongside this, Vedanath makes global connections and has moved towards building breadth in his understanding of various concepts in learning. He is a reliable friend that includes everyone and has built his confidence throughout this term. Congratulations and well done Vedanath, I look forward to being a part of your future learning journey!

Congratulations Abhi, Harley, Akshara and Vedanath – what a fabulous achievement!

Included is a photograph of the children with Anne Wilson from the Kiwanis Club of Waverley.

Principal Learning Awards

As Principal, I also believe that it is very important that I acknowledge the wonderful learning the students complete and as a result I have a term award for each class.

Congratulations to the following students who received The Principal’s Learning Award for Term One:

Class	Name	Reason
Prep A	Natalie	For always showing respect and persistence towards all of her learning both socially and academically. Each day Natalie comes to school with a large smile on her face, ready to interact with her peers and also get ready for learning. She has formed many friendships due to kind and caring nature and is willing to help out a friend in need. Natalie regularly displays initiative in the classroom by ensuring our classroom environment is neat and organised and a wonderful place to be. Well done Natalie on such a fabulous start to school, your attitude towards your learning has been outstanding! Keep up the exceptional efforts!
Prep B	Aishira	Congratulations Aishira! This term, Aishira has shown great personal growth with accepting challenges. She is now willing to be in the Learning Pit to develop her learning journey and reach Eureka. She enthusiastically participates in all areas of learning and approaches new challenges with a positive ‘can do’ attitude. Aishira consistently aims for her personal best every time and is proud of her achievements, especially when using a growth mindset. She is courteous and polite and shows the utmost respect to all her teachers and fellow learners. Every day, Aishira is happy for the day to begin, organising herself and her belongings to ensure she is ready for learning. Well done Aishira we are so proud you are a member of Prep B and GWPS!
Prep C	Samarth	Congratulations Samarth . This term Samarth has shown great personal and social growth and should be commended for all his efforts. Samarth is a dedicated and hardworking learner who demonstrates our school values of Integrity and Respect. He is a well-mannered and honest learner, who has built positive relationships amongst his peers. His willingness to share his thoughts and ideas has been nothing short of amazing. Samarth has made great progress in all areas of his learning, especially in Writing. He has built so much confidence within himself to have a go at apply his letter sound knowledge and magic word to his recounts. He always asks questions, which sparks his curiosity and an eagerness to learn more. Congratulations Samarth on a wonderful term and for being an amazing role model to our class. Keep up the fabulous learning.
Prep D	Rebecca	Rebecca is a kind and caring learner who has made fantastic progress this Semester, both academically and socially. She shares her wonderful ideas in class discussions in a respectful manner, while also listening to her peers’ contributions. Rebecca embraces challenges and takes on all opportunities to demonstrate her personal best with a positive ‘can do’ attitude. Throughout the year she has shown independence in her learning and is always willing to share her knowledge with her classmates. Rebecca is a kind and supportive friend to others and always offers a helping hand to those in need. Thank you, Rebecca, for being such a fantastic role model and a compassionate member of Prep D and the Glen Waverley Primary School community. I am so proud of you!
Prep E	Rovin	Congratulations Rovin! This Semester you have consistently shown engagement in all areas of learning. When writing about our Reptile encounter incursion you showed enthusiasm, persistence and used writing steps such as sounding out the word and using finger spaces. You encourage peers to make good choices and you display whole body listening during class discussions. You applied the YCDI key of getting along and have made many new connections and friendships within and outside of Prep E. It has been wonderful to see you participate in class songs, routines and your excitement to find Spot books in the library and read Scooby Doo after lunch. Well done for completing your first term in Prep. Keep up the amazing learning in Term 2!
1A	Saaral	Saaral is an outstanding learner who approaches all tasks with a positive attitude. She continually takes positive risks to challenge herself and progress in her learning. Saaral transitioned into Year One with maturity and initiative. Demonstrating independence throughout all learning tasks, Saaral completes learning to an exceptional quality. She utilises her time during table learning and respectfully uses the talk moves to interact and encourage others during whole class discussions. Keep up the fantastic attitude towards learning Saaral!
1B	Fabiana	Congratulations to Fabiana Huda for being 1B’s recipient of the Principal’s Learning Award for Term One. Fabiana has been an absolute superstar this term; consistently striving to achieve her best. She has the most beautiful manners and follows our classroom routines consistently. Fabiana is a wonderful role model for her peers; always displaying an “I Can Do It” attitude towards learning and happy to embrace a challenge. Congratulations, Fabiana on a wonderful start to your Year One learning journey. Keep up the fantastic effort!
1C	Ryleigh	Congratulations Ryleigh for receiving this award. You have been a quiet achiever in 1C, following our expectations right from the start and maintaining your cooperative behaviour throughout this term. You are always the first few learners on the floor and showing whole body listening during our mini lessons and class discussions. Your concentrating and learning ethic are to be commended as you always put in 100% effort into your learning. Well done and keep up this wonderful attitude towards learning!
1D	Thidas	Thidas has an outstanding attitude towards learning and is a remarkable student. This semester, his progress across all curriculum areas has been impressive to witness. He took constructive risks in his learning journey throughout the term, particularly in Maths and Reading. Thidas is always willing to assist his peers and teachers, which is a great quality he should take pride in. Thidas, your exceptional attitude is commendable, and I encourage you to continue your hard work!
1E	Thinuli	Congratulations Thinuli on a fantastic term of learning! It was incredible to watch your progress across all curriculum areas this term. You continuously upheld the school values, by demonstrating respect and integrity towards others. During learning tasks, you showed ‘Confidence’ to take positive risks in your learning. You challenged yourself and demonstrated ‘Persistance’ throughout our Narrative Writing topic of investigation. It was wonderful to see you display resilience as you delved into the Learning Pit at times, and work through your productive struggle to overcome the challenges that you were faced with. Keep up the amazing enthusiasm!
2A	Shlok	Congratulations Shlok! This term, Shlok has showed great personal growth with accepting challenges and demonstrating a willingness to delve into the productive learning struggles whilst in the Learning Pit. He methodically participates in his learning and approaches new challenges with a positive ‘can do’ attitude. Shlok has developed pride in his learning and aims for his personal best every time, completing his learning and sharing his growth with his peers and teachers. He is courteous and polite and shows the utmost respect to all his teachers and fellow learners. Every day, he arrives happy and excited for the day to begin. Well done Shlok we are so proud you are a member of 2A and GWPS!
2B	Lucas	Congratulations to Lucas for being an outstanding learning in 2B this term. You have settled into Glen Waverley Primary School exceptionally well. Your friendly disposition has made it easy for you to make strong connections and friendships with your peers. You are always ready to learn, aided by your valuable contributions to our class discussions and self-regulation. You are always ready to help those around you, and enjoy listening to the thoughts of your peers. It has been wonderful to watch you grow this term and I look forward to the rest of the year!
2C	Deana	The Principal’s learning award for 2C goes to Deana for demonstrating outstanding growth in her first term of Year Two. She has shown maturity and leadership both in and out of the classroom. She has fully embraced our Zones of Regulation learning, sharing her feelings and strategies to help her remain happy and calm at school. She always strives to do her best at every learning opportunity. She has embraced the learning challenges that year Two has to offer, asking for support when needed and taking on feedback with a growth mindset. Congratulations to Deana.
2D	Ray	Ray starts his learning journey with 2D at Glen Waverley Primary School with a strong commitment to learn. He seeks for opportunities to learn new words, apply them in reading and writing. He challenges himself in Maths and uses multiple ways to show his Mathematical understanding. He holds a high expectation towards himself, and he treats his learning with respect. Hence, his books are always neat. He is also becoming a valuable member of the class, who joins others in learning and play and offer help to others. Well done, Ray!
2E	Pratham	Pratham enthusiastically takes part in his learning and approaches new challenges with a positive ‘can do’ attitude. He consistently shows initiative through seeking out resources to enhance his understanding and aims for his personal best every time. The work that Pratham produces is consistently of a high standard and is a true representation of the diligence and dedication he has to learning. Pratham is supportive and generous and has the utmost respect for his teachers and peers. Every day, Pratham arrives at school with excitement and vigor to explore new concepts. His contagious laughter and hilarious jokes brighten our classroom. Pratham, you are a fantastic role model to your peers. Congratulations on a fantastic Term of growth and learning!
3A	Shanosh	Congratulations on receiving the Principal’s Learning Award, Shanosh! I am extremely impressed with your approach to life and learning and it has been wonderful to see you share your positive attitude, kind nature and friendly personality with your peers. Thank you for always applying your personal best to everything that you do and having a smile on your face while you do it! You consistently demonstrate our School Values and YCDI Keys which makes you an exceptional role model for your peers. I hope that you feel a sense of pride for all that you have achieved this term. Keep up the wonderful effort, Shanosh. Congratulations!
3B	Jared	Congratulations to Jared on receiving the Principals Learning Award. Throughout Term 1 you have embodied the 3B expectations and have ensured to display our Glen Waverly Primary School Values consistently. He shows a great compassion for all those around him and his selfless nature has seen him become a role model amongst his peers. Jared has shown great initiative within the classroom in both his learning and organisation by making sure he asks for support if needed and is prepared for each learning session. You should be so proud of how much your confidence has grown over the last term and it has been wonderful to hear your contributions in class. Well Done Jared!
3C	Juliana	What a fabulous start Juliana has had to Year Three! She consistently demonstrates a positive attitude to all areas of her learning and approaches each task with enthusiasm. Juliana is committed to her learning, always striving to achieve her best by ‘having a go’ and not being afraid to make a mistake. She is an active member of our class, sharing her ideas and knowledge with her classmates. Congratulations Juliana on a fantastic first term, I look forward to seeing all your achievements in the future.
3D	George	Congratulations on receiving the Principal’s Learning Award, George! You consistently demonstrate the Glen Waverley Primary School Values of Initiative, Respect, Getting Along and Integrity. You are such a kind, positive and dedicated member of 3D. I am extremely impressed by your approach to life and learning and it has been wonderful to see your confidence blossom as the term has progressed. Thank you for always applying your personal best to everything that you do. I hope that you feel a sense of pride for all that you have achieved this term and year. You are such a positive role model for your peers – I am very proud of you! Keep up the wonderful work, George! Congratulations.
3E	Tharini	Congratulations on receiving the Principal’s Learning Award, Tharini! You have transitioned into Glen Waverley Primary School with ease and you consistently demonstrate the GWPS School Values of Initiative, Respect, Getting Along and Integrity. You are such a kind, positive and enthusiastic member of 3E. I am really impressed by your approach to life and learning and it has been pleasing to see your confidence blossom as the year has progressed. Thank you for always applying your personal best to everything that you do and having a smile on your face at all times. I hope that you feel a sense of pride for all that you have achieved this term and year. You are such a positive role model for your peers – I am very proud of you! Keep up the wonderful work, Tharini! Congratulations.
4A	Samihan	Congratulations to Samihan! I have to say your dedication and creativity in all areas of your learning inspire me. Your persistence when you are challenged with a question and your motivation to learn more about that topic is outstanding, it shows your enthusiasm within our classroom community and an eagerness to succeed.Samihan, you have shown great orderliness within the classroom, with making sure you are always ready for learning by providing your teacher and peers with whole body listening, as well as having the belongings you need for the day organised and ready.I am especially proud of the writing pieces you have crafted, throughout Term 1. Samihan, the way you communicate expression and meaning in your writing, definitely engages the reader to have the desire to keep reading your Memoirs and Narratives. Keep up the exceptional attitude towards your learning Samihan, well done.
4B	Shiv	Congratulations Shiv, for demonstrating incredible efforts in Term 1, 2023. You have shown such willingness to acclimatise yourself to a new school, taking every new opportunity on with a smile on your face. You have demonstrated the traits and effort of a wonderful learner, approaching every task with an open-mind, ensuring you go through the Learning Pit at every opportunity. Your ability to listen to other’s ideas and create a connection with each thought it to be commended.
4C	Aishwarya	Congratulations to Aishwarya for being an outstanding member of 4C this term. You have displayed a phenomenal attitude to learning as you always approach all tasks with your best effort. As a result of your dedicated work ethic, this has allowed you to produce learning of a high quality across all subject areas. During class discussions, you are always focused and attentive to the speaker. This is evident as you enjoy adding onto the ideas of others, as well as sharing your own bright ideas. Socially, you are kind and polite to all your peers and teachers. It is always a pleasure to see your smile shine in class. You should be extremely proud of your efforts and achievements so far in Year 4, and keep up the great work for the rest of the year, Aishwarya!
4D	Stuti	Congratulations Stuti! This year you have shown such a dedication and innovation to your learning, it has been incredible to observe. Your willingness to step outside your comfort zone and your inclination to challenge yourself in your learning is outstanding. You show enthusiasm to learn and ambition to succeed. Stuti, you have shown eagerness to create new friendships within the classroom and create a supportive and ready to learn environment for your classmates. I have been impressed with your focus during learning, showing whole body listening, and making meaningful contributions to class discussions. I am especially proud of the work you have completed so far, and the writing pieces you have crafted throughout Term 1. The way you communicate through figurative language, fresh and original ideas, engage the reader to have a desire to continue reading your memoirs and narratives. Keep up the good work Stuti, I cannot wait to see your growth in 2023.
4E	Akaine	Congratulations to Akaine! It has been wonderful to see the persistent and motivated attitude that you have tackled your learning with. You show incredible curiosity and eagerness to learn in all aspects of your education. The quality of your work demonstrates how you have thought deeply about the topic and actively engaged with it. Akaine, you show great pride as a member of your class by always having your table organised for the day and by respecting the classroom routines and expectations. You also listen attentively when your classmates and teachers are speaking and participate in class discussions thoughtfully. I have been particularly impressed this term with your creative Narrative stories where you have used your writing skills to create an engaging story. I have also been impressed with how you have transferred your learning from Podcasting Innovation to create a unique Inquiry project. Akaine, very well done for successfully completing Term 1 with a positive attitude!
5A	Michelle	It has been a privilege to watch Michelle settle into Glen Waverley Primary School. Since joining our school at the end of Year Four, her confidence has grown and she has been strengthening her connections within Year Five. Michelle always shows our school values, Respect, Integrity, Initiative and Global Empathy, both in and outside the classroom. She completes all of her learning to the best of her ability and tries her best across all curriculum areas. It has been wonderful seeing Michelle collaborate with others and begin to share her ideas. Congratulations Michelle, you should be incredibly proud at how you have approached and directed your learning this term.
5B	Nathan	Nathan exhibits a positive and enthusiastic attitude to all aspects of school life. His energy inspires others, and he has a natural ability to lift people up when they may need an extra boost of encouragement or to feel supported. Nathan has wholeheartedly embraced new learning experiences and relished in challenges as he understands that hard work leads to growth. He is a reflective learner who continually takes on board feedback and feedforward as he is eager to aim high. Nathan is a conscientious, happy, and helpful member of our class and he should be incredibly proud of himself. Congratulations and keep up your positive and persistent outlook!
5C	Vethara	This Principals Learning Award is proudly presented to Vethara. Throughout all learning areas, Vethara ensures that she listens deeply before sharing her thinking, this often leads to her ideas being well thought out and connected to the success criteria. Vethara is a kind, considerate and mindful learner that always supports others when they are in need. Her compassion has led to her being a wonderful friend to others and a popular choice for collaborative learning tasks. She speaks with a consideration for others and understands where she is in the learning pit which allows her to self-regulate during learning time. Vethara, I wish you all the best in your future endeavours, congratulations and well done on your achievements!
5D	Navya	Navya joined Glen Waverly this year and is an inquisitive learner. She is kind, considerate and thoughtful in her interactions and seeks to understand learning from multiple perspectives. Navya always tries her personal best across all learning areas and is ready to share her ideas with her peers to support their learning. She is a lovely friend to everyone in 5D and is always prepared to help the younger students. Congratulations Navya!
5E	Ali	This award goes to Ali Lotia of 5E for his enthusiasm in learning whereby he consistently strives to extend his thinking in order to build on his experiences. Ali is an exemplary student who displays the school's value of respect at all times. He takes feedforward with a positive attitude and understands this will help him progress in his learning. He has shown global empathy through the exploration in his Inquiry Unit, reflecting on his identity as an individual. Well done Ali and keep up the excellent work!
6A	Jenny	Congratulations to Jenny Deng for consistently demonstrating how you challenge yourself to go deeper with your learning. You use questions and prompts to go beyond surface learning to really extend your understanding of a concept. We thoroughly enjoy reading your writing, as it clearly demonstrates how you implement the strategies that you have learnt to enhance your writing for a greater impact on your audience. You have produced some truly excellent pieces this term and should be very proud of yourself. Jenny, you are an excellent role model to those around you and it has been wonderful to see you apply yourself so well this term. Well done, and keep up the fabulous learning!
6B	Anish	Congratulations to Anish Das, 6B’s recipient of the Principal’s Learning Award. He made an outstanding transition into Glen Waverley Primary School, demonstrating incredibly high levels of motivation and drive from the onset. As a learner, Anish’s best friend has been his curiosity and willingness to challenge himself. No learning session would be complete without him asking questions and seeking feedback for depth in his learning. Furthermore, Anish has displayed a breadth of knowledge in different topics, leading to very engaging conversations with his teacher and rich ideas being shared during classroom discussions.
6C	Yuvan	Yuvan has been an incredible learner this term. He values deep thinking and always strives to expand his understand and skillset. Yuvan demonstrates all the school values with pride and passion. He is respectful of all voices and is willing to add on to the ideas of others. Yuvan is never shy to steer away from participating in conversations and class discussions. Congratulations on this wonderful achievement. Keep up the effort to pursue all learning opportunities offered to you, Yuvan.
6D	Anishka	Anishka of 6D has received the Term One 2023 Principal’s Learning Award! Despite being new to Glen Waverley Primary School, Anishka demonstrated admirable confidence and courage. She upheld the School Value of Initiative by applying for and participating in Innovation programs such as Radio Committee. Anishka was also a willing participant in class discussions, and approached all challenges with a positive attitude and a growth mindset. She formed strong connections with other students across the Level 6 cohort, and thrived when working collaboratively with her peers. Congratulations Anishka on a sensational term of learning!
6E	Nethuka	Nethuka is a kind, helpful and respectful member of 6E. He always has a smile on his face as he greets his teachers and classmates each day. Nethuka consistently demonstrates all of the school values demonstrating a strong sense of leadership within his House captaincy role. He shows great confidence when answering questions on the floor and also shows respect to his peers. Nethuka is always willing to share his ideas when co constructing the success criteria as a class and shows initiative to seek feedback on his learning, showing he is keen to improve and achieve to his full potential. Well done Nethuka on a great start to year 6! We look forward to the rest of the year and watching you continue to grow into the confident young man you are.
6F	Gavindeep	For an incredible start at a new school. During term 1, Gavindeep formed strong social connections with his peers. He makes an effort to ensure he is a well-rounded young learner and is eager to participate in and contribute to many aspects of the school community. Gavindeep displayed courage and initiative when he gave a clear and engaging speech to apply for a JSC role. He has made an effort to understand and embrace learning practises at our school and actively applies himself to his learning to ensure continued improvement. What an amazing term you have had, Gavindeep.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE FOLLOWING STUDENTS WHO RECEIVED A PRINCIPAL’S AWARD RECENTLY:

Prep C

Shreya and Gary for writing amazing narratives

Prabhav, Reyashi, Wilson, Thenura and Binuka for creating their very own books about The Pizza Cat
Iman for being a wonderful friend
Amasha for writing a very descriptive recount of her holidays which included a trip to Lakes Entrance and a stay at a hotel in the city to celebrate the Sri Lankan new year

Edwin for working very hard to draw his own coat of arms and also for being an awesome reader
Jamie for being a wonderful friend

Jacob for drawing lots of really colourful pictures about hungry fish
Aria for being a wonderful friend

Aadyah and Erin for making terrific progress with their writing as featured in the kids Corner section of this newsletter
Nyshita, Austin and Arjun for learning all about equivalent fractions

Sineysha for writing a very descriptive recount of her holiday to Lakes Entrance
Sineysha and Anuki for learning about equivalent fractions

Thinuli for creating the most amazing flag by combining the indigenous, Torres straight islanders and the Australian flag
Saakhi for being an awesome friend
Suditi for attending the ‘Sketchpro’ school holiday program as a means to further develop her visual arts skills

Akeesha for continuing to make enormous improvements with her writing skills as depicted in a very comprehensive recount of her school holidays
Hridu for learning and applying so many strategies that will help him deepen his understanding of subtraction

Sahas for continuing to make outstanding progress with his sporting abilities particularly in athletics and cricket where he has been recognised with numerous trophies and medals. Well done and keep it up Sahas!

Ali for writing a very emotional piece for a competition

Wishing everyone a safe and happy fortnight,

Frank Catalano

Principal