Calendonia Drive, Eltham North 3095 Ph: 9431 1599 Fax:9431 0686 OSHC Ph: 9431 2503 www.glenkps.vic.edu.au/ Office Hours: 8.00am– 4.00pm

Email: glen.katherine.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au

LINKLETTER

Issue 15 25th May 2017

DIARY

Children, Teachers, Parents: A partnership for the future

2017 - TERM 2

Wed 31st May Cyber Safety Parent Information Night 6.30-7.30pm

Thu 1st Jun House Athletics

Tues 6th June PFA & Sub Committee Meeting Night

Mon 12th Jun Queen’s Birthday

Wed 14th Jun School Council 7.30pm

Thu 15th Jun Curriculum Day NO STUDENTS GK PFA Movie Event

Sun 18th Jun GK WORKING BEE

Tues 20th Jun IPads BYOD Information Night for current Gr4 parents 7pm-8pm

Fri 30th Jun End of term 2.30pm

GK School Fete Sun 22nd Oct

LEANNE’ S MESSAGELEANNE’ S MESSAGELEANNE’ S MESSAGELEANNE’ S MESSAGE

EVERY FACE HAS A PLACE EVERY FACE HAS A PLACE EVERY FACE HAS A PLACE EVERY FACE HAS A PLACE ---- KIDSMATTER AT GKKIDSMATTER AT GKKIDSMATTER AT GKKIDSMATTER AT GK

OPEN MORNING We had beautiful weather to greet us for our annual Open Morning

yesterday. Our school captains greeted current families into our

school for the morning, as well as many families from the community

who were visiting to have a look around. Doors were open and

visitors were able to step in and out of our classrooms and specialist

rooms to see first hand what learning looks like at GK. To top it off,

our ever reliable PFA were on hand serving delicious scones and tea

and coffee in the surrounds of our year round care building. Thank

you to the ladies who assisted during the morning.

CROSS COUNTRY SUCCESS FOR GK! Champions for 2017 Tuesday was a fabulous day for GK in the District Cross

Country event at Bundoora Park. Our students worked as a

team, taking out first place honours on the day. Our students

have been training diligently for a long period of time, before

and after school, preparing for the event. Staff members

have also dedicated their time to these training sessions

which has been a great support to our students. Thank you

to David Blackburn, Mary Green and Jai Lincoln for giving their time to this. Well done to all our stu-

dents for their level of participation regardless of their personal achievement—they are all winners!

SICK CHILDREN NEED TO BE HOME TO REST The dreaded cold months are approaching and with this the bugs and germs that cause all of us to feel

under the weather at some time or another. Can I please ask that if your child is not well (cough,

sneezes, running nose, temperatures) that you keep them home. This benefits not only your child but

their classmates too as we want to prevent any illnesses from being spread. Thank

you for you understanding in this.

CYBER BULLYING PARENT INFORMATION NIGHT Next week, Wednesday 31st May 6.30pm—7.30pm, Detective Senior Constable Tracey Porter will be presenting an information night for any interested parents regarding technology use and cyber safety in relation to our students. It will be a valuable session to attend as it will highlight the dangers involved with the social platforms our students are exposed to and provide strategies for how to deal with this at home. This session is a follow on from the previous student information sessions our Year 5 & 6 students heard in Term One but will be relevant to all parents. The session will be held in the library if you can attend.

PREP ENROLMENTS for 2018 being taken now—visit the office for details

Have a great week. Leanne

Linkletter Page 2

Our Learning Journey

The Year 1 team have been ex-ploring what things looked like in the olden days compared to now, in their unit on ‘Now and Then’. This has included toys and common household items. The perspectives of some of our students are making teachers feel very old!

Grade 2s have been out and about learn-ing all about the history of the local area and developing an understanding of how our community and Glen Katherine came to be. They had a wonderful incursion with Mrs Sargood yesterday to develop their understanding of what schools of the past used to be like. It was a lot of fun!

It’s all about natural disasters in Year 5 at the moment. Stu-dents are learning about dif-ferent events such as volcano eruptions and hurricanes and how they come to be. Stu-dents are exploring environ-mental impacts that cause natural disasters and that re-sult from natural disasters.

Learning about the world around us helps our students to become active, engaged citizens. Our In-tegrated Curriculum Program at GK aims to achieve this through engaging and immersive content. Check out what we have been doing across the school this

term!

The Grade 3 and 4 students have been going further and developing their knowledge of Melbourne and its history. Be-ing able to research a Mel-bourne landmark and explore how it has changed over time will help to build students’ un-derstanding of the passage of time and the impact of humans on their environment.

Grade 6s get to go further by looking at how they can have a positive human impact in the face of natural disasters. Our leaders of the school are de-veloping their understanding of the power of local and global action that people can take in the face of a natural disaster, including themselves!

Preps have been loving opportunities to get to know all about people who help us in our community. We are so grateful to all the parents and friends of GK who have been giving their time to come and talk to our Preppies about their jobs!

Last week we had 852 parent visits to the app to see what our kids are doing. That’s more visits than we have stu-dents! We love that parents are checking in to see our

learning in action on a daily and weekly basis, and we love sharing what we are doing with you! Keep checking in!

Karen ter Haar, Assistant Principal (Teaching & Learning)

Linkletter Page 3

EVERY FACE HAS A PLACE EVERY FACE HAS A PLACE EVERY FACE HAS A PLACE EVERY FACE HAS A PLACE ---- KIDSMATTER AT GK KIDSMATTER AT GK KIDSMATTER AT GK KIDSMATTER AT GK

http://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/primary

The above frameworks guide our wellbeing programs at GK. Each day our teachers are building understandings

around the key competencies that support our students to grow into strong, confident and independent young people.

Today I share some information from the KidsMatter Framework that aims to strengthen our parent/school

relationship in supporting your children. The website address is also included above for your reference. Leanne

Social & Emotional Learning

KidsMatter Primary is a metal health

and wellbeing framework. Key Resilience drivers:

♦ Empathy

♦ Mindfulness

♦ Gratitude

♦ Emotional Literacy

IMPORTANT DATES FOR 2017

TERM 2

Month Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

May 15

16

Junior School Council

Meeting

17 18 19

May 22 23 24

OPEN MORNING

Visitors Welcome

9am-11am

25 26

May 29 30

JSC Meeting

31

Cyber Safety

Parent Information

Night

6.30-7.30pm

1

House Athletics

2

Jun 5 6 Meeting Night

7.30pm

PFA-Education Commit-

tee-Finance Committee-

Facilities Committee

7 8 9

Jun 12

QUEEN’S BIRTH-

DAY HOLIDAY

NO SCHOOL

13

JSC Meeting

14

School Council

7.30pm

15

Curriculum Day

NO SCHOOL

PFA Movie Day

16

WORKING

BEE

SUNDAY

18TH

9-12PM

Jun 19 20

IPads-BYOD

Information night for

current GR 4 PARENTS

7PM-8PM

21 22 23

Jun 26 27

JCS Meeting

28 29 30

END of Term

2.30pm

Linkletter Page 4

CURRICULUM DAYS TO NOTE FOR THE REST OF 2017

Term 2: Thursday 15th June (Staff working on WRITING)

Term 3: Wednesday 26th July (3 Way Conferences - 12.00pm—8.00pm)

Friday 22nd September (BASTOW school improvement day for staff)

Term 4: Monday 6th November (Cup Day Eve - Staff Reporting Day)

Student of the MonthStudent of the MonthStudent of the MonthStudent of the Month

MAYMAYMAYMAY

Years PYears PYears PYears P----2 2 2 2

PREP Gemma S

Prep T

Noah W-D

Prep T

Keira O

Prep B

Lachlan A

Prep B

Maddison H

Prep P

Zack R

Prep P

Chloe Y

Prep L

Liam H

ONE Eliza U

1R

Trinity W

1R

Aaliyah W

1L

Ryan H

1L

Mili B

1B

Jackson K

1B

William E

1B

Poppy M Byron B Lily W

Congratulations to our Year P-2 students. Your certificates will be awarded to you on

Monday at assembly.

TWO Owen M

2C

Eric W

2C

Tiana K

2S

Lara K

2S

Isabelle B

2H

Zach E

2H

Sophie E 1L

Choir

VICTORIA POLICE CHILD SAFETY HANDBOOK is coming home with the eldest child in

Prep and Year 1 today. This handbook is a thorough and informative resource for adults to use.

The information provided reminds us all of the attention we should pay to both the obvious and

less obvious safety hazards that face the children around us.

The handbook shows how to not only prevent risky situations, but also how to act when threats or

dangerous situations do present themselves. Extra handbooks may be available at the office if you

are interested in this, however only limited copies were supplied by Victoria Police legacy.

ADMIN UPDATE

Reminders:

• Some payment reminders:

◊ Grade 5 & 6 Sports Payment—2nd payment of $60 now overdue

◊ Bulk Billing 2nd instalment is due this Friday 26th May.

◊ Statements were sent home last week –unfortunately we had an issue with some of our Qkr

payments so we apologise to those families who were sent reminders in error.

• CSEF applica2ons are open un2l the end of Term 2 so if you have a current health care card please get an applica-

2on form from the office. If you are eligible you are en2tled to $125/student per year to go towards excursions

and sport charges.

• If you don’t have Skoolbag please download it and give it a try. It is a great way for us to communicate directly to

the school community and it also has links to our Linkle:er, current events and relevant forms.

• Please note that there are payment op2ons available to any family experiencing any financial difficul2es. Please

contact Jodee Jackson to discuss payment op2ons.

Linkletter Page 6

VEGETABLE LASAGNE (GLUTEN FREE) - $4.00 ea

We‘ve had quite a few children turning up at lunch time with no lunch due to issues ordering on QKR.

Please make sure you have completed the order by 8.20am on the day you require it and check you have selected the right day & date. We have also had issues where one child in the family got a double lunch because other sibling/s haven’t been selected. Boy, you should

try convincing the lucky one to hand over the extra food!!

As a final check you can have a look to see if you have gotten a receipt in the ‘Activity’ section of the QKR app.

If you pre-order a lunch on QKR and then your child/ren are off sick, as long as I have been notified by 9am so I can pull the order out, I

am happy to supply it on another day when they are back at school.

Still looking high and low for some extra help on the following days:

1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th Tuesday

1st (2nd Term) or 2nd Wednesday

Please, if you would like to help out or have any queries, contact me on 9431-1599, Tues to Thurs 8.30am to1.30pm & Fri 11am to

1.30pm, or email cunningham.suzanne.s@edumail.vic.gov.au , or sms 0408 172 778.

CANTEEN DAY & DATE NAMES

Tues 30th May C McFarlane (5th Tues Extra Day)

Wed 31st May N Peerman (5th Wed Extra Day)

Thurs 1st Jun K Gersh; C Miller

Fri 2nd Jun J Robertshaw; C Davies; K Togni (& R Aitken)

DISTRICT CROSS COUNTRY CHAMPIONS

The GK Cross Country team performed brilliantly to win the Diamond Valley District Primary Schools Cross Country that was held at

Bundoora Park on Tuesday 23rd

May. It was a great team performance and the students are to be congratulated on their commitment

to training and outstanding efforts on the day. A big thank you to Mary Green for her 2reless work in training the team twice a week

over 5 weeks in the lead up to the day. Thank you to Jai Lincoln for running with the kids at the training session at Bundoora Park. The

prepara2on shone through with many students performing personal bests. Thank you to the GK parents who supported their children

with the early morning and aDer school training.

10 students finished in the top 8 to qualify for the Division Cross Country to be held at Bundoora Park on Wednesday 14th

June.

Please ensure that your child returns their GK Singlet to the PE Office asap.

DAVID BLACKBURN

TEAM RESULTS

1ST

– GLEN KATHERINE 117PTS 6TH

– PLENTY VALLEY 65

2ND

–LAURIMER 113 7TH

– YARRAMBAT 60

3RD

–DCE 94 7TH

– HURSTBRIDGE 60

4TH

–APOLLO PARKWAYS 92 8TH

– DIAMOND CREEK 59

5TH

– GREENHILLS 87 9TH

– SACRED HEART 45

INDIVIDUAL RESULTS – Division qualifiers

9/10 boys ( 2KM) 12 / 13 boys ( 3KM )

Dylan M -1st (7min 43 secs) Kane M – 1st

( 9min 37secs)

Kayden R – 3rd

Vincent D – 5th

Jamie A – 7TH

9/10 girls 11 girls 12/13 girls

Annika M -6th Chelsie J– 6th Sophie S – 2ND

Olivia J – 8T Charlize G – 10TH ( EMERG ) Hayleigh C – 8TH

Bella T – 9TH

( EMERG )

HOUSE ATHLETICS – THURSDAY 1ST JUNE – PARENTAL HELP

NEEDED

The GK house athletics will be held at Meadowglen track next Thursday

for Gr 4-6 students. All students will have the opportunity to represent

their house and compete in various athletic events.

To assist in the smooth running of the day, parental assistance is re-

quired. This may take the form of travelling on the bus to ensure correct

adult/ student ratios are maintained, measuring distances, timing or

helping as a finish line marshall. If you can help please notify David

Blackburn or your child’s class teacher.

FIRST AID NEWS - If your child is sick -

It’s that time of year again when many of us are affected by colds and flu. If your child is showing cold symp-

toms or feeling unwell please keep them at home to limit passing the illness onto other students and teachers.

We would also like to ask for your co-operation in an important matter. We have a number of students with

various illnesses which puts them at serious risk if they develop colds, chicken-pox, measles or shingles. For

chicken-pox, measles and shingles a special protective injection is available, however, it is only effective if

given within 72 hours of exposure, and only lasts for one month. It is very important that you let us know

immediately if your child develops any of these infections.

Lastly, if your child requires medication while at school, a ’Medication Authority’ note needs to be completed.

This form can be picked up from the office or accessed by the Glen Katherine P.S. website.

HEAD LICE ALERT The school has been notified of a number of students within the junior and middle grades that have recently

been treated for head lice. Can you please take a moment to check your child's hair and commence appropri-

ate treatment where necessary. All grades will be checked throughout this term and notices sent home where

required.

According to the Public Health and Wellbeing Regulations 2009, children with head lice can be readmitted to

school after treatment has commenced. If a child is found to have head lice while at school, the student will

need to go home for treatment. Further information regarding treatment of head lice can be found at

ww.health.vic.gov.au/headlice.

Linkletter Page 8

THREATENED SPECIES PLANT PROJECT

On Wednesday the 17th of May 2017 Miss Maya, Mrs Webb and 6 Students from grades 5 & 6 went to Liddesdale Reserve in search for

a threatened Australian plant, known as the Velvet Appleberry. Our journey began at the office to meet Jim (from the Banyule Council),

and David an Ecologist (our plant expert) they were scien2sts! We headed down into the Reserve there was a lot of bushland to walk

through (with many cobwebs and logs in our way). Once we arrived we were shown which plant we were in search for. Once we had

our samples we headed back to the school’s science room with Jim and David, where we got suited up with masks and gloves. ADer that

we mixed soil together with some special soil, to make our soil rich. Once it was mixed we spread the soil into some pots. We had to

make sure the pots were fully covered with soil and tapped them gently. The next sta2on was watering, we had to make sure the soil

was nice and wet, so wet that it started leaking from the soil. David told us “that is when the soil was ready for the next stage”. At this

stage we got a chop s2ck and poked holes into the soil for the Velvet Appleberry. We paired up and 1 person pulled off 2/3 of the leaves

making sure to gently peal the leaves up not down, incase the stem came off as well. The second person dipped the end of the plant

into a special purple goo (Plant Hormone) and planted & buried it into the pots we prepared earlier. We also made labels with the date,

the place we collected, and sample and added that to the pots. Now we wait, to see if we were successful in saving an endangered

plant. By Neala 5D

Linkletter Page 9

SAVE THE DATE—GK FETE IS COMING, 22 OCTOBER

To con2nue of the success of previous years, Glen Katherine is having its biannual fete on

Sunday 22nd October 2017.

It’s no small feat and requires the help of many to bring it together.

We have a key role for a volunteer to coordinate the fete sponsors.

Are you great with people?

Do you have a lot of contact with businesses or are you good at making new contacts?

Do you enjoy helping out, but find it difficult to do during school hours?

Then we would LOVE you to come on board as our Sponsorship

Coordinator for the fete!!

To find out more, please contact Owen Wade on 0412 715 032

OR

Do you want to play a key role in puGng the fete together?

Do you want to be acHvely involved in helping the fete be all it can be?

Then we need YOU!

We are looking for someone to be the stall coordinator who can help all the grades get

ready for their stalls

To find out more, please contact Owen Wade on 0412 715 032

Prep Playground—WORKING BEE Sunday 18th June 9am - 12noon

You are invited to GK’s first working bee for 2017! The working bee provides a great opportunity to make a contribution to improving the school grounds and a chance to meet new families. As there will only be two working bees this year it’s great to get as many people as possible to come along and work on projects that enhance our students’ grounds.

The major focus will be to freshen up and revamp the prep playground area. This will include building some seating near the sandpit and enhance the appearance of this area by removing overgrown bushes and make some more play areas.

Wish list : Tools to Bring

• • Construct seating rakes, shovels, brooms,

• • Spreading mulch wheel barrows, crow bars

• • Topping up sand in sandpit hammers, power drills, saws

• • Digging in play poles secateurs, smiles

Children are welcome as Mrs Webb will be looking for lots of helpers for mulching, pruning, watering and weeding the sur-rounding garden beds as well as assisting in the creation of a

PAINTED MURAL.

There will be a free BBQ and drinks after the working bee.

Families who attend will be in the draw for the special Movie ticket prize.

Please indicate on the form below if you are able to attend and return to David Black-burn by Wednesday 14th June.

Thank you for your support and hope to see you there—even if for a little bit! The GK Facilities Committee

WORKING BEE Sunday 18th June

The _____________________family is able to attend the working bee.

Child’s name:__________________ Class: __________

Parent’s name:________________________

.

I am unable to attend but am willing to make a donation towards the cost of supplies( eg soil, rocks, sleepers etc) to be used on the day. _____________( amount enclosed ).

COMMUNITY NEWS