50 Main Rd GEMBROOK 3783 Ph: 03 5968 1313 Fax: 03 5968 1548 email: gembrook.ps@edumail.vic.gov.au www.gembrookps.vic.edu.au

Gembrook Primary School

Mission Statement

A view to the future

Diary Dates

Gembrook Primary School is a welcoming and

respectful community that provides modern,

flexible

learning spaces that support a personalised,

engaging and challenging learning program so that

students will achieve the social, emotional, academic and

28 June 2017

28 June EDEC Soccer Play Off

29 June Free Dress Day and Lunchtime Disco

30 June Last day of term 2 Early pickup at 2.30pm

17 July First day of term 3

19 July Grade 5/6 Camp Information meeting. Camp deposit due

24 July 3 Way Conferences STOMP Dance (whole school)

25 July Sustainable Day P/1B

26 July 3 Way Conferences Produce Market 30 School Council 7pm

27 July Division Mixed Netball

28 July EDEC Basketball

31 July STOMP Puss in Boots-Private Detective 2pm (whole school incursion-$6)

7 August STOMP

11 August Curriculum Day

14 August STOMP Produce Market P/1B

19 August PFA Trivia Night

21-25 August GemBOOK Week

22 August Murrundindi

23 August School Council 7pm

28 August STOMP

29 August Sustainable Day P/1L

Vision: To provide every student with every opportunity to be the best they can be.

Value: Respect & High Expectations

Enrol Now For 2018

We are now planning for Prep 2018 Enrolment forms are available at the office or

on the school website: www.gembrookps.vic.edu.au

30 August PFA Father’s Day Stall Murrundindi

31 August PFA Father’s Day Stall

1 October PFA Father’s Day Stall

2 October PFA Shopping Tour

4 October STOMP

6-8 October Grade 5/6 Camp

11 October STOMP Produce Market P/1L

12 October EDEC Girl’s Footy

14 October Footy Day

18 October STOMP CONCERT 6pm EPAC Emerald Secondary

22 October Last day term 3. Early pickup at 2.30pm

Early dismissal on Friday @2.30pm. If you know you will not be able to pick up your child on time, please book them into

After School Care

The school is very grateful to Andrew and

Gembrook IGA for their donation of fruit

to the school for “Free Fruit Friday”

A VIEW TO THE FUTURE

Bren’s Banter

Dear Families and Friends As I write this newsletter, I must admit to being in quite a reflective frame of mind as we approach the end of term two. I commenced working with you at the beginning of term three last year so I’m now celebrating one whole year at Gembrook Primary School! In that relatively short period of time, I’m incredibly grateful for the huge amount of support and encouragement I’ve received from students, staff, mums, dads, families and the wider Gembrook community. I absolutely love the fact that we work together for our students, and that we share that special bond that educating our children for success in life brings. In keeping with our school values of High Expectations and Respect, we now have a total commitment to, and clear focus on, improving student learning through high quality teaching with a particular emphasis on literacy and numeracy – the absolute foundation stones for building academic success. As we take time to stop and reflect on our learning journey together, I hope you all have a lovely and thoroughly deserved holiday, and I can’t wait to continue on the exciting, adventurous and successful road on which we are travelling together in term three. Semester One Reports Student reports for semester one are being sent home tomorrow (Thursday). Congratulations to all students! We are all proud of the effort, pride and enthusiasm that you have put into your learning this semester. 3 Way Conferences will take place during the second week of next term. Please follow the link on Flexibuzz to ‘School Interviews’ and enter the event code ‘uwywx’ to book your interview. Full instructions can be found in this newsletter. Communication at Gembrook Primary School All research states that effective communication is paramount in education and is vital to make sure our students are successful. At Gembrook, we have many means of communication including our newsletter, website, emails, school diaries and notices and updates sent home. We also strongly encourage all mums and dads to join our Flexibuzz App which provides such a great means of communication. In consultation with school council, we are now considering the installation of a digital LED changeable sign. This would provide our school with a highly effective and additional way of communicating the great things that are happening at Gembrook Primary School. Digital LED signs are now extremely popular and replace the previously prominent traditional manual changeable signs. They are now also becoming more cost effective and are used more and more throughout school campuses.

This is obviously an important decision and as a school, we intend to consult widely with the Gembrook community in relation to the location of the sign and the hours of operation etc. Our intention is to facilitate a public forum in term three where questions, suggestions and any concerns can be communicated and addressed. We will publish details of the forum early next term. In the meantime, I would really appreciate any feedback and/or suggestions you have in relation to the purchase and installation of a school communication sign.

Congratulations Mr. Bailey! We are all very proud of Mr. Bailey who was recently appointed Dandenong Ranges Network ICT Leader. Mr Bailey wears many hats at Gembrook, including Classroom Teacher, ICT Co-ordinator and Gembrook Improvement Focus Team (GIFT) member. This additional appointment reflects not only Mr. Bailey’s skills and knowledge in this important curriculum area, it also speaks volumes for Mr. Bailey’s leadership and willingness to share his expertise and capacity to inspire others. We congratulate Mr. Bailey and we know that he will excel in this new role.

Removal of trees at GPS A huge thank you to Michelle Andrews who has designed a poster that will assist in communicating the impending pruning and tree removal works that have been recommended as a result of our recent tree audit. Please come a see me if you have any questions or concerns in relation to the recommended tree works.

Notes that have gone home

Puss in Boot-Pet Detective (whole school incursion)

Diary of a Wombat production (JLC)

Grade 5 Transition visit to Emerald Secondary

Grades 5/6 Camp All notices can be accessed from the school website:

www.gembrookps.vic.edu.au

A VIEW TO THE FUTURE

Bren’s Banter cont...

Brendan (Principal)

Nevaeh King F/1B Literacy

Raiden Knabe F/1L Literacy

Sebastian Pantorno 1/2C Numeracy

Madeleine Andrews Luke 1/2H Literacy

Luca Scalora 3O Reading

Anabelle Dewar 3/4B Literacy and Numeracy

Arlo Jones 4/5A Science

Toby Whatman 5/6H Literacy and Numeracy

Jake Russell 5/6F Numeracy

Darcie Croaker Junior Art

Ryley Brophy Senior Art

Shannon Filarski Junior Physical Education

Mackenzie Bourne Senior Physical Education

Sienna Rose Junior Environmental Science

Tom McCrohan Senior Environmental Science

Academic Excellence Awards Semester 1 Academic Excellence awards are awarded to a student from each grade who has shown outstanding achievement in curriculum areas including literacy, numeracy, science and an award is given in junior and senior levels in the specialist areas of art, environmental education and physical education. These awards are really important because recipients ALWAYS work extremely hard on their learning and live our school values of High Expectations and Respect. Congratulations to the following students who received an Academic Excellence Award at assembly last Friday:

Please check out the ‘Diary Dates’ at the front of the newsletter for the many excellent events and activities that are coming up at Gembrook Primary School. Just a reminder that school finishes this Friday at 2:30pm. Happy Holidays Everyone and see you all in term three for another exciting term of learning at Gembrook Primary School! All the best!

Dear Parents

An email was sent on Monday June 26 today to confirm student and family information. If no changes are required you do not need to do anything.

If there are changes to be made please let us know either by:

Printing the form, signing the last page and then returning it to the school office.

Using the 'Contact' button ( it is to the right of the 'Absence' button) in flexibuzz to email the office.

Dropping into the school office in person If both or either parent did not receive the email, please let the office know.

Thank you

Luca is a proud recipient of an

Excellence Award

Please notify the school of any student absences by 9.30am on the day of the absence. If we have not heard from you by 9.30am the school office will contact you requesting an explanation for your child’s absence. Notification via FLEXIBUZZ, the school app, is preferable. Download the FREE flexibuzz app from the app store now! If you need assistance, please contact the school office.

All prep students arriving late to school MUST be accompanied by a parent to class to help settle them in.

Gembrook Primary 31 July @ 2pm

July

2 Vanessa

4 Ava F

Natalie L

5 Katyn

6 Lia W

Harvey McK

7 Kyra C

8 Georgia F

10 Isabelle C

Mia G

12 Bronte

13 Airliah W

14 Sophie D

15 Finnley G

18 Lucy J

19 Skye B

Dear families I am available to help support families and students through challenging circumstances. A form requesting support from the chaplain is available from the school office.

If you have any questions please don't

hesitate to ask.

Kind Regards,

John Chambers

Chaplain

Chronicles of Johnicles

The Art Room is once again needing donations of cardboard and cardboard packag-ing. Contributions can be left in the box at the school office or taken directly to the Art Room in the JLC. Thank you Jess Irvin Art Teacher

CSEF (Camps, Sports and Excursion Fund)

The Victorian Department of Education provides finan-cial support to families who hold an approved conces-sion card. This support is $125 per primary school child for participation in camps, sports & excursions (CSEF). To be eligible parents must fit one of the categories below. Be an eligible beneficiary within the meaning of

the State Concessions Act 2004, that is, be the holder of a Veterans Affairs Gold Card

or be an eligible Centrelink Health Care Card (HCC)

or Pensioner Concession Card (PCC) holder,

OR Be a temporary foster parent. CSEF application forms are available from the office. The application remains valid while your child is enrolled at School and the parent remains eligible. If you think you are eligible please complete a form and return it to school by 23 June 2017 at the latest.

Payment of Essential Education Items 2017 Payment Plans The second instalment of the payment plan is now overdue. Prompt payment would be appreciated. Essential Education Items for this year include essential classroom stationary, books and materials used by the students in classroom activities, Environmental Science, PE and Art, essential technology including computers and iPads, and access to licenced software including Mathletics, Tumblebooks, Reading Eggs, Quick Smart, Blitzmaster & Maths 300. All of these materials are purchased in bulk to minimise cost and ensure all students have access to materials. All of the money paid is spent on these consumable items, books, class sets, photocopied resources, and technology.

Gembrook Primary School 21st June School Council Meeting Summary School Council met on Wednesday 21st June and discussed a number of issues, including three trees identified for removal due to decay and failures that now present a significant haz-ard, the “Every Day Counts” attendance initiative, and our proposed changeable digital LED sign, which has the ability to quickly broadcast up-to-the-minute messages to the whole school community about the great things that are happening at Gembrook Primary School. School Council reviewed, accepted and ratified the Student Engagement and Wellbeing Policy 2017 and the Sunsmart Policy 2017. These documents are available on the School website. All parents are encouraged to read these documents. All parents are warmly invited to attend and observe School Council meetings. Our next meeting is on Wednesday 26th July at 7pm in the Staff Room. Michelle Andrews

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