Dear Glen Iris Primary School Community,

As we move through this school year, I would like to reflect on the crucial role that belonging plays in our school environment and the wellbeing of our students.

Research highlights the profound impact of belonging on students' learning and mental health. Studies from the University of Sydney have found that students who feel a strong sense of belonging are not only more likely to perform better academically, but they are also more likely to develop positive mental health outcomes. Furthermore, Bridgeland et al. (2008) found that when students feel connected to their school, they are more motivated, more resilient, and more likely to engage in school activities, leading to greater long-term success.

At GIPS, we are committed to fostering a sense of belonging for every child. Our approach goes beyond just academic support—it is about creating an inclusive culture where every student feels seen, heard, and respected. We aim to provide an environment where differences are celebrated and where every member of our community can contribute to a collective sense of pride. We celebrated our first House Event of the year: The Big Day In. And, we announced to our students this week that we are excited to bring back a tradition at GIPS: the house cup. This isn't just for fun (though it is fun), but it's other purpose is to continue to cultivate that sense of a larger community where students feel something bigger than themselves. We incorporated house cheers and a whole school quick chant of our new school vision at assembly. Research has shown that engaging in group singing/chanting can significantly reduce stress and anxiety, while enhancing feelings of connection and joy, lowering cortisol levels (the stress hormone), increasing endorphin production, and improved overall mood. In fact, the British Journal of Music Therapy (2013) highlighted that group singing/chanting can serve as a therapeutic tool, fostering social connections and enhancing emotional regulation. I want to thank our house captains who have been leading house cheers across our school.

Our efforts to build belonging extend to our staff, students, and families. By working together, we create an interconnected and supportive environment. We understand that it takes collaboration and trust between home and school to nurture a culture of inclusion, which ultimately benefits the emotional, social, and academic growth of our students. Thank you to all parents who met with teachers this week in Meet the Teacher and who provided their thoughts on the information sheets we sent home. I want to also take this time to thank the parents joining our school council and remind our community that we have one vacancy. Nominations for that vacancy close Tuesday. We are also seeking a Parent Association President. If this is something you can support us with this year, please reach out to the school at glen.iris.ps@education.vic.gov.au More information can be found below in the newsletter.

I am deeply grateful for the ongoing support from our school community. Together, we can continue to make GIPS a place where everyone feels they truly belong.

Warm regards,

Maddie

In our classrooms

Student voice and agency

Led by two grade six students Cameron and Brendan, our students designed, created, and participated in a Lunar New Year parade last week. From music to a parade map, this event was 100% student led. Well done to the voice and agency of all students who participated, whether in an official role or as a parade spectator.

Wellbeing across the school

2025 has launched, with students across the school engaged in establishing classroom routines and expectations, getting to know one another and building a strong sense of belonging to their new class groups and the GIPS community. It has been fantastic to see students enjoying Morning Circle every day and being ‘Positively Primed’ to start their learning!

Schoolhouse spirit is the sense of pride, unity, and enthusiasm that students feel for their school and it was certainly present on Tuesday for the Big Day In. The house captains assisted in creating a positive, supportive atmosphere that fostered a sense of belonging.

The School Representative Council (SRC) plays a key role in representing the voices and interests of our students. Comprised of elected student representatives, the responsibilities of the SRC includes organising events and advocating for students needs and concerns. These students will receive their SRC badge at our next Assembly, 21^st February 2:50pm in the Church Hall. Congratulations to our newly elected SRC pictured below.

Recently in our prep rooms

There have been many happy and excited Preps settling into school over the last few weeks. We have explored GIPS and enjoyed the playground, art room and icy pole day! This week we have learnt about the letter M. We’ve brainstormed a lot of words starting with the M sound and practiced writing it.

A snapshot into grade two

Grade 2 have dived into phonics this year and are working with the program Sound Waves to build the children’s understanding. This week we focused on singing our Sound Waves Phonics Song which takes us through all the different sounds with actions and completing Unit 2 focusing on the (b,bb) sound. The children also spent time segmenting words (breaking them down into sounds) for example, black is b, l, a, ck. The c and the k go together as they make one sound.

You can find more information about our school-wide phonics and spelling program here. Information Sound Waves

What's been happening in grade 3

In Grade 3, students have been involved in mini ‘Number Talks’ to demonstrate their understanding of place value. Number talks encourage students to think critically through rigor.

The students have been exploring the significance of Indigenous knowledge by reading Welcome To Country by Aunty Joy Murphy. Their designs reflect their understanding of country, drawing inspiration from the illustrations and their own observations.

In our five/six classrooms

Our Year 5/6 students recently completed the VIA character strengths survey to identify and recognise their own strengths. They then designed FC (football club) or Pokémon cards to showcase those strengths, highlighting the amazing variety of talents we have at GIPS. It has been great to celebrate our uniqueness as a cohort!

In performing arts

Mr Harley is the new performing arts teacher here at GIPS! So far in performing arts, we’ve been exploring beat, rhythm and the elements of music by singing and playing the instruments in the classroom such as Boomwackers, Glockenspiels, Ukuleles and Djembes.

What's been happening in art

Junior students have been looking at Lunar New Year and welcoming the Year of the Snake. They have been practicing their paper folding and cutting skills to create these decorative snakes that are on display now through the school. Well done, Preps! What a great start to art this year!

Recently in STEM

In our Spanish class

Our Prep students have been introduced to Spanish for the first time! They are learning to say hello in Español, count numbers from 1 to 10, and follow classroom routines through fun and engaging songs. It’s wonderful to see their enthusiasm as they take their first steps in learning a new language!

In our staffroom

Over 5000 new books arrived at GIPS recently thanks to the generous donations of GIPS families through fundraising efforts last year. These new decodable books will support the implementation of structured-synthetic phonics in Prep to Grade 2 classrooms. To help get these books out of the boxes and into the hands of our students, we will soon be holding a ‘working bee’ to assist with labelling, constructing boxes and distributing books to classrooms. A request for helpers will be sent via Compass soon!

In our community

Parents Association President Needed

As we approach a pivotal moment in the school year, we find ourselves facing an important challenge that requires the involvement of our dedicated parent community. As you may know, the Parents Association (PA) plays a crucial role in supporting the school through fundraising, community-building events, and fostering a collaborative environment between parents, teachers, and students.

We are currently without a President for the PA. This is a position that significantly impacts our ability to continue many of the activities that make Glen Iris Primary School such a vibrant and supportive place for our children.

Without the leadership of a PA President, we risk losing out on the funds generated through events and initiatives that directly benefit our students. These funds help support important educational resources. Specifically, these funds are targeted to expanding our Spanish and wellbeing programs. It also supports funding school improvements that enhance our children's learning experience. In 2025, these funds are specifically targeted to much needed new furniture. Without this fundraising, these resources and improvements will not go ahead. Additionally, fundraising events foster a sense of community, bringing families together and helping to strengthen our school's culture.

We understand that taking on the responsibility of PA President may seem daunting, but it is also an incredibly rewarding opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of our students. You would be working alongside a dedicated team of parents and staff, with the support of experienced past PA parents and our School Council. It’s a chance to make a real difference and ensure the continued success of programs that benefit our children both inside and outside the classroom.

If you are able to consider this role or would like more information on what is involved, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our front office at (03) 9885 3624 or glen.iris.ps@education.vic.gov.au We are more than happy to answer any questions and provide support as you think about the possibility of stepping into this important leadership position.

Thank you for your continued support of Glen Iris Primary School. Together, we can continue to make it a wonderful place for all of our children to thrive.

Smoking Ceremony

Today Uncle Glenn visited GIPS to acknowledge the land we are on and teach us about respect, responsibility and reciprocity. He taught us about respecting ourselves, family, our mob, and country. He taught us about our responsibilities to look after ourselves, our families, our mob, and our country. And, when we do both, our country reciprocates and takes care of us.

School Pick Up and Drop Off Reminders

School starts at 8:50 am. Our grounds open at 8:45 am. If your child needs to be dropped off prior to 8:45 am, please arrange for them to attend Team Kids.

School concludes at 3:30 pm. Please arrange for your child to be picked up at 3:30 pm. If they aren't able to be picked up at 3:30 pm, please arrange for them to attend Team Kids. We do not have the capacity to provide duty of care to children after 3:40 pm as we are attending meetings. Our front office team also isn't able to supervise children after school. Team Kids takes last minute reservations, so please give them a call if something unexpected comes up. We greatly appreciate your support.

Meet and Greet with Dr Meg Wilson 19 February at 3pm in the Library

Please sign in at the front office when you arrive if you are interested in attending.

Feedback on Draft Policy

The Bullying Policy is currently under review. We are seeking parent feedback. Please reach out to Shaye Bradbury at shaye.bradbury@education.vic.gov.au if you would like to discuss feedback by 25 February. Thank you for your support.

Glen Iris Primary School Bullying Policy Draft

Child Safety

Please discuss the information in the first paragraph with your children below, and for your reference please see paragraph two. If you ever have a concern for a child's safety, please reach out to our Principal Maddie or the email below.

Upcoming events

Shaye Bradbury, leading teacher wellbeing and inclusion, is sharing a link to two workshops that you may want to attend.

Please also find some upcoming events from the Boroondara Library Services.

Here are some program highlights for the first term:

STEAM Club Ashburton https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/events/steam-club-kids-ashburton

STEAM Club Balwyn https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/events/steam-club-kids-balwyn

STEAM Club Camberwell https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/events/steam-club-kids-camberwell

Wurundjeri Storytime Online 0-5 years https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/events/wurundjeri-storytime-0-5-years-live-online

Wurundjeri Storytime Online 5-8 years https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/events/wurundjeri-storytime-5-8-years-live-online

Early Literacy Programs https://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/events/wurundjeri-storytime-5-8-years-live-online

Settling into a new class

“Commit yourself to lifelong learning. The most valuable asset you’ll ever have is your mind and what you put into it.” – Brian Tracy

I cannot thank the GIPS community enough for their warmth and welcome as I step into a part-time Leading Teacher position at your school. Previously working with your children as a Casual Relief Teacher (CRT), I have been given the opportunity to enrich learning opportunities for our educators as well as your children in 2025.

I share the great pleasure I experienced last December when watching teaching teams furtively commence planning for another year of high-impact learning for your children in 2025, and I am struck by the realities of Lifelong Learning and the open-to-learning mindset that is essential for this to be a reality. I am sure that detailed preparation has also occurred in your homes for this year to commence, as bags were packed, clothing labelled and discussions held with children addressing their excitement, nerves, anticipation and sometimes trepidation that combine at the beginning of the academic year.

In the spirit of lifelong learning, I share with you an article I came across Settling into a new class: 6 tips for Parent, Carers and Families to support your child to settle into a new class. Settling into a new class | Academy Author Sharon Baker succinctly highlights how we can further support our children as they embark on this next year of learning – I recommend it to you.

As a lifelong learner myself, I find that often I need to remind myself that learning is often not comfortable, that active learning requires stretch, beyond that which we find comfortable so that existing schema and concepts develop and expand. This year, (and into the future) I encourage you to share with your children moments of discomfort, where learning is perhaps not quite as easy as it initially seems. As educators we watch out for these moments in ourselves and others, sharing them with students when appropriate. It is OK to say “This is hard!’ – it is tangible evidence that learning is occurring.

Building learner stamina and resilience was explored in the widely published text Grit, a book by Angela Duckworth which I also recommend to those who are interested in the science behind learning.

This year, I hope to touch base with our community regularly through the newsletter, sharing research, observations and learning examples that you might find interesting in the steepest learning curve of all – parenting!

Warmest Thoughts,

Lisa Gough

Leading Teacher

GIPS Container Scheme

GIPS now has a container deposit scheme donation code where you can donate your 10c container refunds to the school, this is a fantastic way to recycle while also raising funds for the school.

It is an easy 3 step process:

1. Collect eligible containers (can's, bottle and juice boxes) check for the 10c mark, often near the bar code HINT: you can keep lids on
2. Find your refund point HINT: CDS Vic Depot Oakleigh at 37-41 Oxford St Oakleigh is close by
3. Donate HINT: at the machine select "enter zone ID" and scan the GIPS barcode (the friendly depot staff can also help)

See attached poster for more information.

From

School Council

PLUSH (Pre-Loved Uniform Shop) Update

Thank you to all the lovely families who have donated many (MANY!) items to PLUSH. We have finally been able to sort through them all and the shop is looking orderly again and very well stocked. So as always, if there are any uniform items you need, just collect the key from the office and visit at your convenience during school hours.

In addition, please be aware that donations of items with any of the following issues are unable to be sold and our school needs to pay for these items to be recycled with a clothing recycler:

• Holes
• Stains
• Broken zips
• Missing buttons
• Non-PSW brand
• Old sports T-shirts
• Old "Class of 202X" polos or jumpers

Thank you!

Sarah and Kym

(PLUSH co-ordinators)

From our third-party providers

Taekwondo

Dance Club

Team Kids