Message from the Principal 

A BIG WELCOME TO OUR NEW PREPS

This photo highlights one of my favourite days of the year and a very special welcome to all our new Prep students and to our new families. The Prep students have had a magnificent start to the year and are ready and excited for a fabulous year, full of curiosity, new connections and challenges. A big thank you to our Prep team who were able to deliver a best practice transition program throughout 2022 and into this year. This effort has certainly had a very positive impact on how our students have started school this year.

INTERNATIONAL BOOK GIVING DAY

Not only is Tuesday 14th February Valentine’s Day it is also International Book Giving Day. This is GREAT for Greenhills because we love reading! On this day all students will be able to bring their favourite book to school to share with a friend. This will be part of our 15-minute reading time each morning, that will be extended out to 30 minutes for this special event. We are also asking students to bring a gold coin to donate to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. If we raise $500, we will be able to support the translation of stories into First Language.   

iPAD’s @ GHPS

This week all our Years 3-6 students will be taking home a hard copy of our Acceptable Use Policy & Agreement. This is a document containing the responsibilities held by teachers, student and parents when taking part in digital learning. This is updated and sent out each year to remind us of all how to use technologies responsibly. Teachers will go through the document with students and have them sign it. Students will bring it home for you to have a look at and sign as well if you approve. This process assures that everyone is aware of the rules before we really get started. 

We will also keep you updated through our newsletter and other communications about all the things we can do together to ensure that our students are using iPads to their full potential as learning tools.

On that note, I can confirm that we are in the process of revisiting the amount of screen time our students have across the week. The first element of this is access to iPad’s during wet weather or hot day timetables. Students will only be able to use their iPads for 25 minutes (half of lunchtime) on a maximum of two days each week. There is no access to iPad’s during recess breaks. In this way we are working to ensure the screentime students have is directed to learning and they can still develop social and personal connections through time away from technology.   

INTERNATIONAL DAY OF WOMEN & GIRLS IN SCIENCE

Friday 10th February is the International Day of Women & Girls in Science. Days like this are a GREAT way to think about the things we can all do to inspire, promote, engage, and excite our girls in all thing’s science. 

SCHOOL UNIFORM

Our uniform dress code reinforces in students a pride in their own appearance, instils recognition of themselves as an integral part of the school community, and assists in developing pride in representing their school. The uniform dress code aims to promote equality amongst all students. 

We understand it can be difficult washing and drying uniforms and know that occasionally children will come to school out of uniform. We ask that if this occurs that the alternative clothing be of a similar colour to the uniform and as plain as possible, e.g., without popular branding.

I seek your support to ensure that all students are dressed each and every day looking like a full member of our school team. We are lucky to have so many uniform options provided through PSW, and I also encourage any families having difficulties providing school uniform to contact me at the school so that we can assist.

FINAL CALL FOR SCHOOL COUNCIL NOMINATIONS

This is a final reminder that we have 4 x parent vacancies for School Council for a period of two years. If you are interested in nominating, please collect a form from the school office or contact me and I will arrange one to be sent home. These must be lodged at the office by 4pm Friday 10th February.

WE NEED YOUR HELP – STUDENTS WITH LIFE THREATENING ALLERGIES

We have a number of students at our school with potential life threatening allergies. These anaphylactic reactions are often triggered by coming into contact with nuts. Whilst we can never say we are a nut free school, we do ask all members of our school community to help keep our students safe by not bringing nuts and nut related products e.g. Nutella to school at anytime. We appreciate your support and assistance with this request. 

James Penson

Principal