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 09 3rd April 2014

DIARY

2014 - TERM

Friday 4th April

Last Day Term 1 early dismissal 2.30pm Tue 22nd April School resumes First Day Term 2 Friday Apr 25th ANZAC DAY holiday April 30th 7.30pm School Council, Presentation of 2013 Annual Report meeting. Anyone is welcome to attend.

Thank you to all of the parents who came along to the Parent/Teacher meetings this week. We really welcome & appreciate your support.

And … wishing everyone a safe & happy holiday.

What a delightful evening we had last Saturday! The weather was just perfect. Over three hundred adults and children came along and took part in our first community event for 2014. A big thank you to everyone who supported the event. Out thanks to

Natalie King who did a great job of organising the cinema night along with other PFA mums and GK parents who helped out along the way including being on hand to help out on Saturday night. Special thanks also to two of our students Josh R (4B) and Abby K (1G) who did a super job in helping to pack up, clean up and help out at the end of the evening. Everyone’s help and assistance was very much appreciated.

BUILDING MAINTENANCE & CLASS DISRUPTIONS

We’re still hopeful of a start to the maintenance works during the school holidays. Today the prep

classrooms along with 5/6L have been vacated in preparation for holiday works which will involve

some painting, replacement of heaters, light fittings and carpet. Room and grade relocations are

as follows:- Prep B to the Music room; Prep D to the Art room; Prep S to RL19; Prep T to RL 18

(RL18 & 19 are the double classrooms down near the tennis courts and the grade 1 play

equipment); 5/6L to the LOTE room. Music, Art and LOTE lessons will take place in classrooms

for the next few weeks. The works that are soon to start will be stage 1 of the maintenance

program. Early in May, some maintenance works will take place in each of the grade 5 & 6

classrooms, the library and the office building. We will have some short term disruption but the

longer term gain will be well worth it. Stay tuned for further information. Updates will be given on

the school’s website home page so keep a check on this please. Look for the

UPDATE logo. A very BIG thank you to the teachers, Shazz, Library staff, students

and parent helpers who have all assisted with the packing and moving. What a

brilliant team effort!

Thank you everyone for a very productive and settled term 1. We look forward to a great term 2!

Jill Ramsay

PRINCIPAL’S NOTES:

REMINDER

If you think you may

have lost any item of

clothing please come

and check our lost prop-

erty at the front office.

NEW ITALIAN CAPTAINS AT GK Last Thursday 27th March a whole school Italian assembly was held. Jill Ramsay presented badges to GK’s first ever

“Italian Captain’s”. The worthy recipients were shortlisted after preparing and presenting a speech detailing the personal

qualities they possess in order to be student leaders in the area of Italian.

These two Grade 6 students were selected as they displayed a positive attitude to learning Italian and an aptitude and keen-

ness in Language Learning. They will be promoting Italian throughout the school via assembly, Linkletter Italian Blog or

lunchtime “Ciao Italia Club” activities.

Congratulations to our new Italian captains Kara Hyde – 6W and Cassie Salamone – 6R

Our term assembly began with the Grade Preps who sang “Faccio gli occhi” and a representative from each grade spoke about

the various Italian classroom activities.

The school was a hive of Italian activities including the construction of Pinocchio puppets by Prep Students. Grade 1’s made

pasta pictures based on Tomie dePaola’s book “Strega Nonna”. Children in Grade 2 participated in an art activity on Italy,

the boot. Gr 3 students celebrated Carnevale by making their own masks. Children in Grade 4 studied the geographical as-

pects of Italy by undertaking mapping activities . Gr 5 students were off to the Formula1 and learnt about cardinal numbers

and famous Italian cars. Lastly the assembly concluded with Gr 6 students on the catwalk describing their Armani designer

clothes in Italian.

A huge thank you to the teachers who prepared the children for their assembly item. Finally, students in 6B, together with

students from grades 5 and 6 led the whole school in our grand finale rendition of Dean Martin’s hit “That’s amore!”. Un

giorno fantastico. Grazie. Signora Portaro J

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Science and Sustainability Update

Thanks to all the wonderful feedback from parents

and students during our recent open afternoon. The

Science room was inundated with interested groups

looking at all our specimens both inside the science

room and outside in the gully. The last of our Spot-

ted March Frogs are finishing their growing before

they move on to new habitats. Our storm water

catchment has certainly proved to be a successful

pond habitat!

The facilities and sustainability committees have decided to purchase a chook shed online and

get our wonderful maintenance woman Glenys to erect it. There will be a working bee during

term two where we will “chook proof” the garden area with sleepers underneath the new

fence line before getting the chickens. Further information will follow next term.

A community project officer from Bunnings has come to visit our garden area and offered as-

sistance with certain projects which is wonderful. However they are unable to help with a

PROPOGATION SHED so if you have any knowledge in this area – such as where to pur-

chase one or what attributes will be best for a school environment please contact Anne-

marie on webb.annemarie.a@edumail.vic.gov.au

Lastly there are two partial eclipses in April so look out for them!

April 15th

- Partial Lunar Eclipse – When the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon and Earth's shadow appears on the Moon. With the Full Moon, we will witness a Partial

Eclipse of the Moon, between 3.58pm and 7.33pm.

April 29

th - Partial Solar Eclipse - When the Moon and the Sun are on the same side of Earth,

the Moon will appear to cover part of the Sun. With the New Moon on 29th

April, we will wit-ness a Partial Eclipse of the Sun, after 3.58pm and until Sunset. About half the Sun will be

covered.

If you would also like a copy of our Holiday Skywatch - giving greater details of the April

night sky - please just simply email us at starlab@tpg.com.au

Enjoy the holidays Mrs Webb.

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FUN RUN 2014

The annual school house Fun Run was held on Tuesday 1st April. It was fantastic to see the team spirit and endeavour of the

students who ran in their various races, representing either Correa ( Green ), Eucalypt ( Blue ), Grevillea ( Red ) or Acacia

( Yellow ) house.

Thank you to the parents who helped out as course marshalls and assisted with the set up in the morning. Thanks also to

class teachers who did a great job in preparing the students through the school fitness program by having students complete

laps around the training course on a daily basis. Many students completed over 100 laps which is equivalent to 28 kms in

running over the past 5 weeks

A real highlight was the attendance of Commonwealth Games 800M representative Alex Rowe who presented ribbons and

spoke to students about his sporting journey.

Thank –you to the HPE committee and staff who helped set up and organise the Fun Run – Mrs Green, Mr Lincoln, Mrs Ow-

en, Mrs Byrne and Mrs Smith. Your help was greatly appreciated. Thank you to Gail Elliott for all of her behind the superb

organisation work.

The following House Captains did an outstanding job, leading the younger grades and helping with the set up and pack up of

the events – Fletcher P, Courtney W, Nathan W, Kiara F, Sam S, Alex H, Dylan M, Mackenzie C.

The top 12 placegetters in the 9/10, 11, 12/13 age group qualify for the District Cross Country training squad. In the 9/10 age

group the Gr3/4 representatives will be determined on time taken. Before school training will commence in early term 2 lead-

ing up to the District Cross Country

The overall House competition saw Correa ( Green ) win the shield for the first time since 1999.

The Final Score was

1st Correa 251

2nd Grevillea 243

3rd Acacia 239

4th Eucalypt 177

David Blackburn

( Sports / PE Coordinator )

FUN RUN ACTION

SPORT THIS WEEK rd 8

GK DARKS vs DIAMOND CREEK ( Home )

GK LIGHTS vs LAURIMER T ( Away )

DAVID BLACKBURN

CANTEEN

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GKabulous Art Show 2014 It is with great enthusiasm and excitement that we announce that this year’s GKabulous Arts

Show will be held on

Thursday 28th August, 2014

At the moment students are busily preparing and creating artworks which will be retained to ex-

hibit during the event. To coincide with this celebration of the Arts we have also been very fortu-

nate to appoint an artist in residence. Debbi Qadri will be working with myself and all the grade

5 and 6 students in terms two and three. We hope to create a ceramic and mosaic installation

which will be put onto the brick walkway between the administration building and 6W’s class-

room. Debbi is an experienced ceramicist and teacher. She has worked on numerous school and

community projects. These can be viewed on her blog at

http://mosaicprojectsbydebbieqadri.blogspot.com.au/

Please add this date to your diaries and family calendars and stay

tuned for more information.

Nadia Cosma and The Arts Team

Peer Mediation 2014

On Monday 31st March, the 2014 Peer Mediators were presented to the school community. We con-gratulate our new Peer Mediators and Captains Reyyan M (6B) and James S (6B).

Mrs Rinaldi and Mrs Byrne

ROSTER:

APOLOGIES!!! The Hoppy Afternoon Tea is tomorrow. Sorry for any confusion I caused last week. As this will be an afternoon tea, normal lunch orders will still be available tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who has put their name down to come in to help, I couldn’t do it without you all. Hopefully you have received a SMS from

me this earlier week confirming your offer to come in and help from midday. I hope all 400 students participating enjoy the treat!

** PLEASE NOTE THAT AT THIS STAGE THE CANTEEN WILL BE CLOSED AT LEAST FOR THE FIRST WEEK OF SECOND TERM. We are

hoping to be back in action by Tuesday 29th April should the minor renovations be completed in time. **

Enjoy your break and be safe in whatever you are doing. Happy Easter!

Thanks, Suzi Cunningham

DAY & DATE NAMES

Tuesday 22nd April CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS (C Robertson; S Mifsud)

Wednesday 23rd April CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS (N Sinclair; T Smith)

Thursday 24th April CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS (A Peacock; F Tragardh)

Friday 25th April CLOSED ANZAC DAY PUBLIC HOLIDAY

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Mother’s Day Stall 2014

Do you have any gifts that you think other Mums would enjoy, but you have

no use for?

Are you good with craft and can make small items that our Mums would

love?

We are looking for donations of new items, wrapped chocolates and lollies, pam-

per products and hand made gifts that our hard working Mums would love as

gifts for our Mother’s Day stall this year.

If you have anything that you think would be suitable, please place it in the

“Mother’s Day Donations” box in the front office.

From the shopping you do, whether that be online or in-store, a percentage will be paid back to the school to be

included in our fundraising total for the year.

Please look out for our new page on the GK Website which provides you with all the information you need, and

direct links to each of these companies.

If you have any further queries, please contact Carol Kovacic of the PFA on 0407 367 318.

SHOP AWAY AND SUPPORT GK!

The PFA has registered Glen Katherine Primary School with the following organisations to increase our fundrais-

ing opportunities;

Keyboard Lessons 2014

Places are now available for any child who would

like to learn the piano/keyboard during school hours Beginning Term 2 - 2014

please contact Peter Raymakers (B. mus. ,A.mus.A, Dip. Lib. Arts)

on:- 0431 817 470 email:- rayfam64@gmail.com or contact the school office

INCENTIVE PROGRAME

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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 ad-

vertisements or claims made by them.

BUNNINGS ELTHAM EASTER FAMILY

NIGHT

Thursday 10

th April - 06:00 PM to

08:00 PM

Kids Easter Craft Workshop

Easter Egg Hunt

45min Magic Show

Visit from the Easter Bunny

Refreshments Provided

BOOKINGS ESSENTIAL:

(03) 9430 0100 or via our website

Check out our website @

AUSKICK

Come and join the fun at NAB Auskick held on Sunday mornings at Diamond Hills Reserve, Plenty River Drive, Greensborough. We are hav-ing a Registration Day where you can come and join and pick up your AFL Auskick Pack @ Diamond Hills Reserve at 10am on 30th March. To register please go to www.aflauskick.com.au/register or contact David on 0407 137 994 for more information. SEE YOU THERE!!!!

Linkletter Page 9