Messages

Dear Families,

I hope you have had a wonderful week. With restrictions gradually easing and COVID cases amongst students dropping, it feels like school-life is returning to normal with more events being added to the calendar.

Building Update

Our building project is making great progress and likely to be finished in the later stages of Term Two. Please see the clip below for an update.

School Closure Day

As per the parent calendar and information page in bulletins, Tuesday 15th March is a school closure day where staff will receive training in First Aid and CPR.  Please note, that it is a Tuesday after the long weekend. This day was originally planned for Thursday January 27 and had to be re-scheduled when cancelled by our government. Theircare will be providing supervision for students and is available for bookings. 

Wellbeing

Don't worry, be happy.

By understanding what releases feel-good brain chemicals into your bloodstream, you will be able to create positive emotions in yourself. When you laugh and have fun with others you are building strong social connections, which releases serotonin and oxytocin, to develop trusting relationships. Serotonin comes from feeling others think you matter, while oxytocin comes from feeling trust and caring from those you are with. These come from being with others in person, not communicating electronically. 

Galilee School Community 2022 Welcome Picnic

Sunday 20th March

2:00- 4:00pm

Edwards Park (in and around Trugo Club)

219 Esplanade East, Port Melbourne

BYO food, drink, picnic rug/chairs

*Zooper doopers, small pkt’s of chips and lolly bags for sale.

Please join us to celebrate and welcome the 2022 school year. A great opportunity to get together with our school community (finally).

School Musical

In we will again have a school musical performance show-casing the talents of our students. We last held The Lion King Jr, prior to COVID restrictions. This time, performances will be held in our new Performing Arts venue. Later this term, students will be invited to attend general open auditions. Dates will be released by the end of Term One. We are excited to announce that we are partnering with Dance World (our neighbouring dance school) for the planning and performing of the musical. 

Sport Reports

Galilee Athletics Carnival by Daniela

On Wednesday the 23rd of February Prep to Year 6 travelled to Lakeside Stadium for our athletics carnival. 

We started off the day by warming up and breaking into our age groups to commence our day.

There were many events to participate in such as high jump, long and triple jump, shotput, discus, hurdles, 100m and 200m sprint and last but not least the almost impossible 800m.

We would like to congratulate all the students who participated in the events and a special thanks to Mr Hill and all the teacher and parent helpers who made the day possible.

Every team put in their absolute all on Wednesday but unfortunately their could only be one winner... We would like to give a huge congratulations to Hearts Maroon!

Dendy Swimming Report by Mila

On Monday 21st of February, a handful of children from Years 4-6 attended Dendy Swimming at Oakleigh Recreation Centre. Around 8 different schools participated in this competition. Some of them included Galilee, Sacred heart, Saint Mary’s and Saint Joan of Arc. 

The kids were selected for Dendy after two weeks of swimming trials and their swimming carnival results from 2021. These trials occurred at MSAC. Anyone who wished to go to Dendy could participate in these trials. Everybody tried their best and certainly represented Galilee well.

The strokes they participated in were: 

• Freestyle relay 
• Medley relay 
• Backstroke 
• Freestyle
• Breaststroke
• Butterfly 

Sadly we didn't win, but we had many small victories in the form of ribbons, friendships and a very good time. We wish the people who managed to get to Beachside Swimming and possibly Riverside the best of luck. Hopefully they win a few new ribbons to add to their collection. 

Uniform Transition

A reminder that all students from Prep to Year 5 will need to be fully transitioned into the new Winter Uniform from the beginning of Term Two.

COVID

We thank the students and parents for their patience with the number of staff absences we have had in some classes. Rules for isolation for those who are household contacts and positive COVID cases have led to very high numbers of staff absence. We have averaged 25-30% of staff away on a daily basis with a large shortage of emergency teachers. When a teacher is away for an extended period, we always endeavour to employ a consistent replacement, but this has not been possible on many occasions this year. 

In contrast, you will have noticed a dramatic decrease in the number of emails being sent home, reporting positive COVID cases. This is reflected in the very small amount of cases we are currently getting amongst the students. This is great news and hopefully continues.

Year 5 Excursion

Last Friday, the Year 5s went to Sovereign Hill to expand on their Inquiry unit about Federation and Democracy. The students had a wonderful time getting a taste of what life was like during the gold rush. They went panning for gold, watched gold being melted, seeing where the miners slept, and even stepping into the shoes of the miners, bankers and authorities by participating in a Gold Fever activity. This week the students have also consolidated their learning in writing by doing a narrative Big Write on a Day in the Life at the Goldfields.

Year 5 Camp to Merricks 

Next week we are very excited to be able to take our Year 5 students to Merrick's Camp on the Mornington Peninsula. 

Recently restrictions have eased and recommendations regarding taking students on camps, now mean that we are able to proceed with the Year 5 camp. 

Students will be involved in water based activities that center around team building, taking reasonable risks and achieving challenging tasks. 

We thank the staff; Laura Mason, Amanda Reardon, Carlo Martello, Laura Cox and Paul Mapley for taking the students on the camp. 

We can't wait to hear all about it when you return back to school next Friday.

STEM Professional Development 

This year we have a big focus at Galilee on incorporating STEM into as many aspects of student learning as possible. We have a newly appointed STEM Leader, Dave McLeish who has been working with the Melbourne Archdiocese of Catholic Schools to secure a grant and a large amount of support to develop an exciting STEM based Inquiry program in Year 5 and 6 at Galilee this year. 

Over the past two weeks Dave McLeish, Amy Burns, Amanda Reardon and Laura Mason have been attending Professional Development in the area of STEM.

STEM education creates critical thinkers, increases science & engineering literacy,

and enables the next generation of innovators, leading to new products and processes that sustain and develop our society and economy. Innovation and STEM literacy depends on a solid knowledge base in the STEM areas combined with the capabilities of effective communication, critical and creative thinking.

Contextualising Science and Mathematics concepts in real-world applications

supports learner engagement, deep learning and the full-flourishing of learners. 

At the Professional Development we were encouraged to plan and design stimulating, multidisciplinary inquiries, which focus on solving real world problems. We worked as a team to design and build a bridge that had to meet certain specifications. Our bridge very successfully held a 20kg weight. We also had to design a house fit for purpose on Mars. 

We are so excited about the learning that we were involved in at the STEM Professional Development and we can’t wait to bring our learning back into the classroom.

Book Club Orders

Issue 2 of Book Club is out now. Please place your order on the Loop App by Monday 21st March. 

Recess and Lunch Classes at Danceworld

First Reconciliation

The Year 3 students will be making their First reconciliation this term.

The Reconciliation sacramental dates are as follows:

Reconciliation:

• Tuesday 8th March  - Family Faith Night 6-7 PM at StsPP church (students attend with parent/parents)
• Monday 28th March - all day - First Reconciliation Reflection day at school
• 29th of March 6 to 7 p.m. First Reconciliation 3B StsPP
• 30th of March 6 to 7 p.m. First Reconciliation 3G StsPP
• 31st of March 6 to 7 p.m. First Reconciliation 3L StsPP

A Prayer for our Reconciliation Candidates

Loving God, teach your children that you love them totally and unconditionally.

Help us to encourage each other to grow in love and to learn how to say sorry, knowing that you always forgive.

Help us to pray for these children and to share our faith with them as we journey together.

We ask this through Christ our Lord.

Amen

Ash Wednesday 

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Students In Years Four, Five and Six attended mass at Saint Peter and Paul’s church. The other students were visited by Father Gary who distributed the Ashes.

The ashes remind us of our humanity and our need for Jesus. Lent is a time of fasting, praying and alms giving. We walk with Jesus on our Lenten journey as we prepare for the joyous time of Easter and the promise of new and eternal life.

In Term Two and Three I will away on Long Service Leave. Restrictions over the last two years have separated many families and we have two adult children who live in Queensland. I am looking forward to spending time with them, now that most state borders are open. While away, I will remain in contact with staff and leave Carlo Martello and Amy Burns as Acting Principals. I will return for about three weeks in each term to be present for the completion of the school building and other important events.

Best wishes,

Simon Millar