Message from the Principal 

Hello and welcome to our newsletter this week. The term is flying by and we have already reached the half way point! 

Life at Greenhills continues to be active, engaging and full of learning opportunities. Looking back over the last few weeks has seen: 

• Musical excellence through the Recital Choir’s performance at the Boroondara Eisteddfod with a 2nd place result!
• Sporting fun with Years 3 & 4 Hooptime
• “Winter Wonderland” fundraising day organised by our Junior School Council
• Excursions, reunions, transition sessions and so much more….. 

As a school community we can be very proud of the huge variety of extra-curricular experiences our students are provided with and of course the energy and sense of adventure that they participate with and engage with.

In our newsletters each week, I like to keep you as up to date as possible with all of the things happening across our school. In this edition, there are a few important reminders…..

STUDENT AGENCY CONFERENCES       TUESDAY 23rd AUGUST

Our Student Agency Conferences are a great way for us to build our school and home partnership. This term, we have taken on feedback from students and have worked together as a staff, to make them even stronger. The feedback we received from students was that they wanted to talk more. This has led the teachers to work together in attempts to support this greater voice from our students. We are hoping you will begin to see this greater voice and agency in their learning during the conferences on Tuesday 23rd August. Student Agency is students actively directing and taking responsibility for their learning. Having this Agency will allow students to develop into independent, curious and reflective learners. Teachers work closely with students to support them prior to the Student Agency Conference.

Tuesday 23rd August is a School Council approved alteration to normal school attendance day.  

REGULAR SCHOOL DOES NOT RUN ON TUESDAY 23RD AUGUST

Students are only required to be at school during their own Conference time.

The Student Agency Conferences will last for 15 minutes and your child will be involved for the entire time.  If you or the teacher sees the need to speak for more time, teachers will ask you to make an alternative time. Making an alternative time will ensure that you are able to speak with the teacher when other families are not waiting for their own Conference time.

CHILDRENS BOOK WEEK – DRESS UP PARADE  9.15AM WEDNESDAY 24TH AUGUST

At Greenhills we love to celebrate all things reading. A highlight of this is our dress up parade as part of the Children’s Book Council of Australia’s Annual Book Week. This will be held on Wednesday 24th August. Students are encouraged to dress up as a character from a book to celebrate the day. 

There will be a whole school parade at 9.15am on the Tiger turf where each grade will have an opportunity to share their dress up and character with the rest of the school. Parents and carers are welcome to attend. 

WORKING BEE – SUNDAY 28th AUGUST          9am – 11am

Following on from our very successful Term 2 Working Bee we have decided to have another one! Our aim is to tidy up the “zig zag” pathway near the crossing into our school. All students who attend our working bee with a parent / carer will receive a $5 canteen voucher.

FATHERS & SPECIAL PERSONS DAY BREAKFAST – THURSDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER   8am – 9am

This community connecting event is run by our Parent Association and will be held on the basketball court from 8am – 9am. The Cheers Cheese Toastie Truck and a couple of coffee carts are ready to go so all you need to do is make sure you pre-order via QKR (orders close Friday 26th August at 4pm) and then come along to enjoy a tasty breaky with your kids. Our PA team need some helpers on the day (7am start!) so we would really appreciate volunteers signing up via Care Bookings (Code JGU9L). Volunteers must have completed 2022 OHS Induction and have valid WWC. 

FOCUS ON EFFORT 

This term we continue to build our Student Agency Model with a focus on Effort. A big part effort is being able to grow and show persistence. This means having a go, sticking at something that can be hard in the beginning and seeing things through to the end.

“I think I can….I think I can”….when I think about effort and persistence, I remember this line out of one of my favourite picture story books “The Little Engine That Could”. This story was about a Little Blue Engine who saves the day to help deliver toys and food over the mountain after the Shiny New Engine, Big Strong Engine and Rusty Old Engine refuse to assist. It is a story about determination and willpower overcoming perception and a great reminder of the way in which effort combined with positive thoughts and a positive attitude can assist us to achieve things we never thought possible.

“I think I can” is a powerful mindset to approach effort in learning and a way in which we can all work together to continue to build our “Greenhills is GREAT” environment. 

James Penson

Principal