Primary School

From the Head of Primary

It was lovely to have the opportunity to meet many members of our GSG community at the parent information evening and P&F fundraiser on Friday night. Investing into private education for the ones you care for is something we, as teachers don’t take lightly, and we hope the night informed you of some of the numerous ways our educators go above and beyond to provide the GSG family and learning experience. If you were unable to attend the evening, please see a summary of the slides from each presenter here.

I have enjoyed the opportunity this past week to watch some of the innovative, collaborative, and authentic learning experiences happening around the Primary School.

On Friday, Years Three, Four and Five combined to build 3D representations of a section of the school using resources from the Maker Space and a 4m string guideline. Vertical grouping allows for all abilities to combine their knowledge, learn from each other and learn the skills of leadership, collaboration, and initiative. Thank you, Mr Hardey, Ms Steinert and Ms Laneaux-Neale, for coordinating.

The Year Ones have been busy classifying pictures into the categories of Living, Non-Living and Never Living (having first learnt about the characteristics of living things). They worked collaboratively and discussed their ideas together before placing their photos in the groups. The students then drew up a table in their science journals and added some more examples. This is part of their Biological Sciences topic on Minibeasts. Thank you, Mrs Gouldthorp, for sharing!

In the News

Denby Sharpe, our Camfield House Leader and local tennis star, has just returned from the WA tennis team’s trip to the National Camp and the Australian Open for the Super 10’s Smash. Denby has worked hard to represent both Albany and WA in tennis and was one of eight members of the team. The opportunity meant Denby was able to meet some of the current and former stars of the game including Samantha Stosur, Pat Rafter, Bob and Mike Bryan and Evonne Goolagong. Denby was also lucky enough to tour Rod Laver Arena, play on the centre court before the Men’s Final and toss the coin for the finals! Well done, Denby, we are proud of your accomplishments and look forward to watching your tennis journey. You can read more about Denby’s experience here.

School Values

Compassion has been our focus as a whole school in Weeks One and Two: being concerned for others. It has been wonderful to see selfless acts of compassion throughout the past fortnight and at our ECC and Primary School briefings this week, one student from each class was rewarded for championing this value.

Well done: Teddy Davison, Olivia Turrill, Eymen Carter, Carter Jones, Isla Kiddle, Samantha Cooper, Sorcha Clear, Amaya Sepkus and Digby Skinner.

Our ECC Stars of The Week (for amazing effort) went to: Sebastian Pyle, Sonny Williamson, Magnus Gavin and Emily Hicks. Our leaders competently spoke about our focus for the following fortnight – Integrity: being trustworthy and honest, before Miss Hard (ECC) and Mr Hardey (Primary) lead us in a prayer for those effected by the events unfolding in Syria and Turkey.

NAPLAN

NAPLAN is a national Literacy and Numeracy Assessment that students in Years Three, Five, Seven and Nine sit each year. This year NAPLAN testing will be held in Term One – Weeks Eight and Nine. Communication has been sent home in the form of an email and pamphlets. Please contact me directly for more information. If you wish to have a look around the NAPLAN platform to familiarise yourself or your children, you can access the public demonstration site here.

Reminders

We love having our students eager to come to school in the morning, but a gentle reminder that students are welcome on campus without parental supervision only after 8.15am when staff are on duty.

ECC students arriving between 8.15am and 8.30am are required to sign in at the register at the front of the building if requiring supervision and Primary School students (Years Three to Six) will need to let the duty teacher know they have arrived before beginning the before-school supervised activities.

Week Three

Assembly 17 February 2.20pm to 2.50pm in the Hall – Mrs Gordon’s Year Six Class, all families welcome.

Week Four

House Sports Afternoon (run by our leaders) Friday 24 February – students are to wear their PE uniform and house-coloured shirts all day Friday

Children’s University

We are excited to announce that Children’s University will be offered at School again this year and will be launched at a Primary School briefing in the coming weeks. In the meantime, students who were part of Children’s University last year (including current Year Seven students) may be interested in a workshop presented by the Girls in Engineering UWA Equity Team.

What Free event ‘Engineering and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch’

Who Children’s University members and one accompanying adult

When Saturday 25 February

Times 9.00am to 10.30am

Where UWA Albany, 35 Stirling Terrace

Mrs Leah Field | Head of Primary