Our values: RESPECT, Resilience, Excellence, Safety, Persistence, Encouragement, Creativity and Tolerance

Calendonia Drive, Eltham North 3095 Ph: 9431 1599 Fax:9431 0686 OSHC Ph: 9431 2503 www.glenkps.vic.edu.au/ Office Hours: 8.15am– 4.00pm Email: glen.katherine.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

LINKLETTER Issue 19 26th June 2014

DIARY

2014 - TERM 2

Thurs 26th June Reports go home

Reminder: Cadbury Chocolate Drive Due back by Thursday 26th June

Friday 27th June

Last Day Term 2 2.30 finish Mon 14th July Term 3 begins Wed 6th August

3-Way Conference Day (12 noon—8pm) Students only attend for their 3-way conference LOST PROPERTY We have a very large amount of unnamed lost property, please feel free to come and see if any belongs to your child.

REPORTING TO PARENTS Keeping parents informed about their child’s progress is an ongoing process at GK.

The reporting to parents process is comprehensive and begins early in the school

year with a meet the teacher session and grade level information packs that are

designed to give parents an initial awareness of the term and year ahead.

During term 1, further assessments are undertaken (as part of a continuous

assessment cycle), referenced with previous year’s data. For some students, they will

be placed on an Individual Learning Improvement Plan (ILIP) for some aspect of their

learning (maybe in English, Maths and/or behavioural). Parents are informed about

this and also kept informed during the duration of the ILIP which ranges from weeks

to months. Parent/teacher meetings are held towards the end of term 1 which

provides parents with the opportunity to be updated about how their child has been

progressing. Parents also have the opportunity to raise any issues if they have them.

At the end of term 2, written reports go home, along with individual student portfolios.

Portfolios provide a snapshot of the types of activities that students have been doing

in class or in specialist sessions and at the end of each term, parents are able to

peruse the portfolio and see a range of tasks that have been undertaken, many of

them with annotated teacher comments.

In term 3, we hold a 3-Way Conference afternoon and evening (scheduled for

Wednesday August 6th) during which parents are invited to come along to school

with their child and meet with the teacher for 15 minutes of discussion and sharing

time. By including the children in this part of the reporting process, we give them the

opportunity to take responsibility for what they have been learning and together with

the adults, talk about their achievements but also identify what they need to work on

and why. The fact that parent, child and teacher come together also reinforces the

importance of the 3-way link that is ever so important in helping to educate a child.

Together, home and school are better able to support the child as opposed to school

alone with minimal input and assistance from parents.

In October, NAPLAN reports go home for parents of students in year 3 and 5 who

took part in the NAPLAN assessments. At the end of term 4, a semester 2 student

report goes home which completes the process of reporting for another school year.

Throughout the process above as outlined, it is important to remember that for many

parents, home/school communications are ongoing and not just restricted to the

formal parts of our reporting to parent’s process. Numerous phone calls, emails, ILIP

meetings and other meetings go on all of the time depending on a child’s

circumstances.

Today, students across all year levels will bring home their semester 1 student report

along with their portfolio. We hope these provide an informative snapshot of your

child’s progress to date as well as areas for continued focus. Teachers have put

many hours of their own time into writing student reports and I sincerely thank them

for an enormous amount of extra work that goes on behind the scenes for several

weeks ahead of the reports going home to parents.

Jill Ramsay

PRINCIPAL’S NOTES:

SPORTS NEWS

CANTEEN

Linkletter Page 2

REGIONAL CROSS COUNTRY RESULTS

Congratulations to the team of GK students who performed extremely

well at the Regional Cross Country held at Bundoora Park on Wednes-

day 18th June.

I wish Rhiannon S all the best at the State Cross Country that will be

held next term.

RESULTS

Kane M – 16th

Charlie L – 17TH

Reyyan M – 16TH

Caitlin H – 19TH

Rhiannon S – 12TH

Jonas M – 32nd

Georgia P – 22nd

SPORT THIS WEEK RD 8

Gk Darks vs Laurimer B – home

Gk Lights vs Apollo B - away

ROSTER:

*** NEW PRICE LIST FOR THE CANTEEN coming home this week – will take effect from Tuesday 15th July (first canteen day of term 3) ***

Thank you to everyone who helped with the Roman Holiday Feast – it went really because you were there to lend a hand!

VOLUNTEERS ARE URGENTLY NEEDED for the 1st or 4th Wednesday, and from Term 3, the 4th Thursday of the month. If you are able to help out once a month 9am to 11.45am on any of these days, or can put your name on our emergency list, please contact me in the canteen with your details or if you have any questions about what is involved when you volunteer in the canteen. I am available Tuesday to Friday 8.30am to 1.30pm (I am not

always able to chat Fridays until we have finished preparing the lunches).

Thanks, Suzi Cunningham

DAY & DATE NAMES

Tuesday 15th July C McFarlane; J Robertshaw

Wednesday 16th July K Togni; B Hecker

Thursday 17th July S Bowen; J Calovic; T Russell

Friday 18th July K Jackson; P Gaskell; F Tragardh

Wishing everyone a warm,

enjoyable and safe school

holiday period

SCHOOL RESUMES

AT 8.40am ON MON

JULY 14TH.

Linkletter Page 3

Italian Whole School Celebration

On giovedi diciannove giugno (Thursday 19th June) we had an Italian assembly from 2.10p.m-2.50p.m. It

was run by Signora Portaro, our Italian teacher and Cassie and Kara, the Italian Captains. The assembly

started off with a song performed by Claudia. She gave the 5’s and 6’s an hour performance, as well as a

friend Marcus who did the special effects. She sang “Splash”. The year 5 and 6’s knew it but we all still

joined in. Claudia taught the school the moves to use and then we did it together. After that, each year lev-

el showed or told us about the activity that they did on Italian day. The Preps studied the Italian flag and

made one. The year 1s and 2s did mosaics. The Year 3s did the Mouth of Truth (La Bocca della verita`) and

made one. The Year 4s did Roman Numerals. The Year 5s did martian creations. The Year 6’ did topic

presentation (in Italian class) about how the Romans lived, Gladiators or volcanoes. At assembly, Jaye,

Liam and Koen erupted their volcano using Coke, Mentos, vinegar with their buddy’s help. That was the

end of the assembly.

It was great! Caitlin H 6B

Congratulations to the winners of the Italian Trivia Quiz (On Italian BLOG )

P/1/2 – Kayden R. 3/4 – Elena U. 5/6- Hannah W.

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Personalised Learning Expo

During terms 1 and 2, all students in1/2A, 2C and 2O took part in Personalised Learning Groups. We invited our families

along to see our Expo to see Art, Dance and Singing, and Science projects.

Thank you to all our parent helpers, particularly Michelle Young who helped with the Dance group each week.

My mum thought my trees were interesting and I said “thanks, mum.” Paige 1/2A

I loved when all of the mums and dads asked all the questions because I answered all of the questions in an in-

teresting way. Jess 1/2A

I put a lot of detail into my work for the Expo. I learnt a lot when we went into the bushland. Ella 1/2A

I loved the Expo because it was fun building my creation. Lenny 1/2A

The Expo was fun because everyone’s ideas were great. Noah 1/2A

On Tuesday we put on an expo about what we were learning about in class. The dance group sang in rounds

to Three Blind Mice. We also had to make up a dance to Jungle Boogie! It was awesome fun and exciting be-

cause the power went out in the stormy weather, but the show still went on! Some of us were a little shy but we

all worked together as a team and had a great time performing for our parents and friends. Adele, Aimee, Mia

G, Scarlett G, Tara 2C

Yesterday, we showed our Science projects. Nathan did a great job on experiments. It included milk, oil, vinegar,

juice lemonade, detergent and food colouring. The food colouring ran away from the detergent. Georgia

looked at a tree and it grew and it grew, then it died. Georgia Ha and Nathan 2O

Yesterday, 2O, 2C and 1/2A and parents got to see a dance, a re-creation of Calendonia Drive and science

projects. Blake did a project on centipedes and spiders. Mathias got samples. Daniel did a project on snails.

Daniel P, Blake and Mathias 2O

Linkletter Page 5

COMING TO GKPS NEXT TERM!!! 1. It is a secure and easy to use a mobile app that makes school payments a breeze.

2. It gives parents the flexibility to pay school charges and place orders wherever and whenever they like.

3. It gives parents the ability to manage children’s canteen & uniform orders

4. It enables Year Round Care payments to be made electronically.

5. There is no need to load funds in advance.

6. It reduces the need to send cash.

7. It’s secure and easy to set up.

8. Processes online payments quickly and reliably

9. It’s customised to our school

More information coming home today & check the website.

Artist in Residence The Year Five and Six students have been working with the artist Debbi Qadri to create a spectacular clay and mosaic installation for the wall along the

walkway between Mrs Whelan room and the administration building. This project is going to be called “Footprints Our Planet”. Debbi has worked at

many schools and on community projects doing clay and mosaic work. At GK Debbi is going to install at least fifty different sized circular murals made

collaboratively by the senior school students. The circles are going to be linked with clay footprints. The theme for this project is the different aspects of

our environment, such as the animals, plants, seasons and weather patterns. Debbi will also be here for our GKabulous Art Show in August, where she

will be assembling the murals.

This week in Art we made a start on our mural with our Artist in Residence, Debbi Qadri. Students worked either by themselves or in small groups of

between two and six people. Each group was required to draw a scaled plan of what their part of the mural would include. Debbie encouraged us to use

a range of ideas, such as animals, landmarks, titles etc… When our plans were completed it was time to start on our clay work. Debbie explained some

techniques on how to make our work look life like and showed us how to join clay. She helped us capture important characteristics of Australian wildlife

which then allowed us to start creating beautiful low relief clay sculptures. Debbie will continue to work with all the grade five and six students in week

ten of this term and she will be assembling the mural in term three.

By Rhiannon Rowse and Brooke Kandell - Art Captains

Follow this link to see more of Debbi’s work http://mosaicprojectsbydebbieqadri.blogspot.com.au/

CADBURY CHOCOLATE FUNDRAISER HAS ENDED!

Please return all money and unsold chocolates to the school office. There were 50 assorted Freddos in a box valued at $1

each.

All money collected and unsold chocolate are due back !

This is the major PFA fundraiser for the year.

Payment by cash, cheque (Glen Katherine Primary School) or credit card (payment slip sent home with chocolates).

For each full box sold, and money returned, your family's name will be entered into a weekly prize draw at assembly each

Monday.

There will be a MAJOR prize draw at assembly on Monday 14th July of

1st Prize - $200 Myers Voucher

2nd Prize - $100 Myers Voucher

3rd Prize - $100 Myers Voucher

Thank you SO MUCH to our families that have sold multiple boxes!!!

There are spare carry boxes of chocolates in the office. If you think you could sell another one over the holidays please con-

tact me or the school office.

Incentive selling: 1 box = 1 entry, 2 boxes = 3 entries, 3 boxes = 6 entries, 4 boxes = 10 entries, and so on.

Thank you for your support in this fundraiser for our school.

Any queries please contact Bridget Ramaekers 0407 243 024.

Linkletter Page 6

Yesterday we had our first Loom Band Club session and it was great! We had many boys and girls of all ages ready to go with their kits and amazing creations. There was so much excitement in the air. Miss Dunstone and I were so excited and proud of the team work and creativity shared around the room. When it was time to pack up there was a huge sigh and everybody wanted to do it again today! We put it to vote and the great news is Loom Band Club will be on each Wednesday unless we have a Wet Day Timetable.

As usual our JSC captains were demonstrating their wonderful leadership skills.

We welcome any students who didn’t come yesterday to come along. All you need is your Loom Bands and a smile!

Mrs Rinaldi and Miss Dunstone.

LOOM BAND

CLUB

Linkletter Page 7

COMMUNITY NEWS

Linkletter Page 8

COMMUNITY NEWS

The Department of Education & Early Childhood Development and this school

do not endorse the products or services of any private advertiser or notice contained in this Newsletter. No responsibility is accepted by the Department of Education &

Early Childhood Development or this school for the accuracy of information contained in advertisements or claims made by them.

URGENT– U18 AND U10 BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYERS

REQUIRED

The St Helena Saints Basketball Club

is urgently seeking any U8 or U10 Boys

who would like to join a basketball

team. Beginner players are welcome.

Please contact the Boys Registration

Secretary on 0434 243 036 as soon as

possible.

Www.sthelenasaints.com.au