Book Week
Thank you to our librarian Krista who organised an amazing Book Week themed "Reading is Magic". We welcomed two authors two GIPS: Adam Wallace and Amelia Mellor, and we topped off our celebrations with an amazing parade. Thank you to everyone in our community who stayed to watch the parade!
Athletics Carnival
This week we celebrated our House Spirit and persevered across many athletic events in our Athletics Carnival in Grades 3-6. Thank you to Miss Kidd, our teaching staff, and all of our parent volunteers who contributed to such a fun filled and athletic day!
Book Club
Thank you to everyone who ordered from the latest Book Club Issue 5. This order rewarded our school with over $400 in Scholastic points which have been used to buy new books for our library. Very exciting!
Thank you for your support. There will be another issue next term.
Premiers' Reading Challenge - Closing 6 September
The Premiers' Reading Challenge is scheduled to close next Friday 6th September. One more week to finish or add any more titles.
Congratulations to everyone for your participation. GIPS has read a whopping 2497 books! All students will receive a certificate in Term 4.
In our art room
We celebrated Book Week in Art, with Year 2 and 3 students participating in an online drawing session, alongside 8000 other primary school students! The session, hosted by the NGV, allowed us to see and hear from Australian illustrator Freya Blackwood, as she shared her inspiration and ideas from her studio. Students in Prep and Year 1 also created fun artworks inspired by some of the shortlisted books.
Life Ed
Life Ed has been trusted to deliver education to over 7 million children and young people since 1979. Life Ed offers schools a unique, curriculum-based program empowering children to make safer and healthier choices through education.
Life Ed is a 60-90 minute interactive lesson delivered by specialist educators. The face-to-face lesson is also accompanied by a range of pre and post visit lessons to help extend and reinforce the learning.
The lessons cover a range of topics across the three core areas of physical health, safety and social and emotional wellbeing.
Teachers have chosen an age-appropriate topic for their year level:
Prep – My Body Matters
Grade 1 – Friendship
Grade 2 – Growing Good Friends
Grade 3 – Friends and Feelings
Grade 4 – Friends and Feelings
Grade 5 / 6 – Relate, Respect, Connect
Visit their Family Resources page to search for more information on the topics covered in your child’s Life Ed visit.
- Deborah McDermott
School Production Rehearsals
Production dance and script rehearsals are gathering excitement as GIPS Go for Gold draws closer to our performance on Friday 13th September.
Tickets can be purchased using this link.
Wednesday and Friday are filled with dance rehearsals to fine tune movement and line placement. Students are showing great energy and teamwork in all year levels. We are looking forward to showcasing GIPS Go for Gold on 13th September.
- Ellie Hardie
History of GIPS
Year 2 students had a special guest this week to help us learn more about the history of GIPS. Past staff member, Robyn Floyd, shared her knowledge of the school’s rich history and took us on a ‘historical walk’ through the buildings and grounds. Did you know that the very first classroom at GIPS was the front office? Did you know there are four different brick types in our buildings that give us clues to when each section was built? And did you know the old school bell, still located on the veranda outside the year 4 classrooms, was rung daily to signify the beginning and end of the school day? We eagerly look forward to celebrating the school’s 160th anniversary in 2025.
Tournament of Minds
On Sunday 18 August, 28 students competed at the Tournament of Minds Regional Competition at Deakin University, Burwood. Our teams shared solutions to complex problems associated with STEM, The Arts and Social Sciences.
In our staffroom
Writing and Maths Improvements
Over the past fortnight, our two Learning Specialists Shanae Hill and Meagan Cofield supported staff to in best practices in writing and numeracy. Shanae helped us fine tune our pedagogy with Number Talks and Meagan continued her work in helping us develop our school-wide writing scope and sequence.
Lisa Keskinen Returns
Our writing consultant, Lisa Keskinen, returned on Wednesday helping us with best practice strategies in language and grammar in our writing classes.
In our community
Congratulations Emily Hill
Congratulations to Emily Hill in 5/6K who has been awarded a Boroondara literary award for her piece entitled 'Cockatoo Revenge'. This competition is held annually by the Boroondara Library Service since 1999, the Awards celebrate the creativity of writers and poets within the City of Boroondara and Victoria. Well done, Emily!
Munch and Crunch Veggies and Fruit
At GIPS, our students have three eating times: morning tea (10:40 pm), lunch (12:50 pm), and munch and crunch (1:50 pm). Munch and crunch was introduced years ago after advice from a parent nutritionist. During munch and crunch, children eat in their classrooms usually whilst a teacher reads a story. Children may eat veggies or fruit for munch and crunch. Food such as sandwiches, yoghurts, and other snacks are best for morning tea and lunch. To help us have a smooth munch and crunch, could you please pack munch and crunch food that is easy to grab and go? This might include a single piece of fruit, such as an apple, or cut up fruits or veggies in a small Tupperware container. It helps our classes stay tidy if the food isn't in their main lunch box. Students don't have to eat during munch and crunch, but we do like having this third brain food option for our students. We really appreciate your help!
New Fire Service
Works are well underway so that we have a new fire service. Our hopes are that the works will be complete at the end of the upcoming school holidays.
Junior Athletics
Due to our rehearsal schedule and hall availability, we have had to change the date for our Junior Athletics day led by our SALT Health and PE team. For families in Grades P-2, the event will be 10 October and students are invited to wear their house colours.
Father's Day Breakfast
Thank you to Ashburton Meats for your donation.
- School Council
Story Time for Prep 2025 Families
We are so excited to welcome our new GIPS students in 2025. We are offering a special story time on 18 September at 2:30 pm. Please sign up via our website or front office.
Upcoming Dates
We will be rehearsing for our school production on 12 September.
Save the date: The School Production will be 13 September. Tickets can be purchased on the Try Booking link found above in the newsletter.
The last day of term is 20 September and dismissal will be at 2:30 pm.
Our graduation photos for students in grade 6 are on 16 October.
Our annual Prep Breakfast for students in Prep to be introduced to our camp program is on 18 October. Prep families, please look out for a Compass newsfeed closer to the date.
Our annual grade one camp for students in grade one is on 25 October. Grade One families, please look out for a Compass newsfeed closer to the date.
Our new tradition, our annual Halloween Disco led by our Performing Arts SALT students, is on 30 October. Students are invited to come in their Halloween Costume. The event is one session during school hours. More information will be sent out in a Compass post closer to the date.
Our annual grade two camp for students in grade two is on 2 November. Grade Two families, please look out for a Compass newsfeed closer to the date.
4 November is a Curriculum Day and student free.
5 November is Melbourne Cup and student free.
