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

physical growth to succeed in a global society.

1 November 2017

1 November KMotion

2 November Family Life (SLC) 9-11am

7 November Melbourne Cup Public Holiday

8 November KMotion

9 November Family Life (SLC) Dr Michelle Andrews Parent Seminar Series 1 6pm7.30pm

13 November Produce Market 5/6F

15 November KMotion

16 November Family Life (SLC) Prep 2018 Transition 9.30-12.30pm

17 November Orienteering

21 November Prep 2018 Transition 9.30am-12.30pm School Council 7pm

22 November HPV Maryborough

23 November HPV Maryborough PFA Food Day

24 November HPV Maryborough

25 November HPV Maryborough

26 November Car Parking for Thomas the Tank day

30 November Prep 2018 Transition 9.30am-12.30pm

5 December Enterprise Market

8 December SLC Swimming

11 December SLC Swimming

12 December Transition day– yr 6-7 Prep 2018 Transition 9.30am-12.30pm

13 December SLC Swimming

14 December SLC Swimming

15 December SLC Swimming

19 December Christmas Concert

20 December Grade 6 Graduation

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

Values: Respect and High Expectations

School Office Hours 8.30am-4.30pm

OSHC calls only after 4.30pm please

Notes that have gone home

Family Life (grades 5&6)

SLC Swimming All notices can be accessed from the school website: www.gembrookps.vic.edu.au

21 December Grade 6 Big Day Out

22 December Last day term 4. Early pick-up 1.30pm

5/6F Sustainability Day

A VIEW TO THE FUTURE

Bren’s Banter

Dear Families and Friends, Hugh VanCuylengurg, founder of ‘The Resilience Project’, states that gratitude is one of the three pillars of happiness. But why is showing and communicating appreciation and gratitude so important? Current research shows that people who practice gratitude consistently report a host of benefits: Physical • Stronger immune systems • Less bothered by aches and pains • Lower blood pressure • Exercise more and take better care of their health • Sleep longer and feel more refreshed upon waking Psychological • Higher levels of positive emotions • More alert, alive, and awake • More joy and pleasure • More optimism and happiness Social • More helpful, generous, and compassionate • More forgiving • More outgoing • Feel less lonely and isolated. The social benefits are especially significant here because, after all, gratitude is a social emotion. Gratitude is a relationship-strengthening emotion because it requires us to see how we’ve been supported and affirmed by other people. Who have you shown gratitude to today? Emergency Management at Gembrook PS All long term weather forecasts are now predicting a long and hot summer in Victoria. Therefore we all need to ensure that we are well prepared in the event of a bushfire emergency.

The following is an update from The Department of Education and Training regarding procedures for our School during the bushfire season and it also contains particular information in relation to our school. Fire danger ratings and warnings are used in Victoria to provide clear direction on the safest options for preserving life. Schools and children’s services such as Gembrook Primary School are listed on the DET Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) and will be closed when a Code Red fire danger rating day is determined in their Bureau of Meteorology district. Where possible, we will provide parents with up to four days’ notice of a potential Code Red day closure via letter, email, Flexibuzz, school electronic sign and the school website. A Code Red day will be determined by the Emergency Management Commissioner no later than 1.00 pm the day before the potential closure. Once we are advised of the confirmation of the Code Red day we will provide you with advice before the end of the school day. Once confirmed, the decision to close will not change, regardless of improvements in the weather forecast. This is to avoid confusion and help your family plan alternative care arrangements for your child. It is also important to note that:

No staff will be on site on days where the school is

closed due to a forecast Code Red day.

Out-of-school-hours care will also be cancelled on these days. School camps will be cancelled if a Code Red fire danger rating day is determined for the Bureau of Meteorology district in which the camp is located.

On these Code Red days families are encouraged to enact their Bushfire Survival Plan – on such days children should never be left at home or in the care of older children. For those of us living in a bushfire prone area, the CFA advise that when Code Red days are forecast, the safest option is to leave the night before or early on the morning of the Code Red day. As part of preparing our school for potential hazards such as fire, we have updated and completed our Emergency Management Plan. What can parents do?

Make sure your family’s bushfire survival plan is up-to-date and includes alternative care arrangements in the event that our school is closed.

Ensure we have your current contact details, including your mobile phone numbers. Keep in touch with us by reading our newsletters.

Most importantly at this time of year, if you’re planning a holiday or short stay in the bush or in a coastal area, you should check warnings in advance of travel and remain vigilant during your stay.

If your child is old enough, talk to them about bushfires and your family’s bushfire survival plan.

You can access more information about children’s services closures on the Department of Education and Training website – see http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/pages/closures.aspx

For up-to-date information on this year’s fire season, visit the CFA website at www.cfa.vic.gov.au or call the 24-hour Victorian Bushfires Information Line on 1800 240 667. Thank you for your support Sustainable Day 56F Well the rather inclement weather certainly didn’t deter Mr. Watson, Mr. Fraser and their enthusiastic and hard working students last Tuesday as they embarked on their grade’s Sustainable Day. It was just brilliant seeing so much work completed including rock collection from our recent excavation, weeding, sweeping, mulching and maintenance on our chook house. A huge thank you to Mr. Watson and to all the ‘Sustainable Stars’ in 56F!

A VIEW TO THE FUTURE

Bren’s Banter cont...

Bren (Principal)

Monday 6th November Every year, the Monday immediately prior to Melbourne Cup Day is often used by parents as an opportunity to have an extended weekend break. Past experience tells us that student attendance on this day is often low. We assure you that every student who attends school on Monday 6th November will be fully supervised, however it should be noted that low attendance on this day will likely result in an alternate program for the day. Working Bee Saturday 2nd December 9:00am – 11:00am We are holding a final 2017 ‘Summer Cleaning’ working bee at school on Saturday 2nd December from 9:00am to 11:00am. There are several jobs that we would like to complete in readiness for end of year events including Step Up Day, Christmas Carols and Graduation. Pruning, weeding, sweeping, pressure cleaning and a general tidy up of school grounds will be the order of the day. A light morning tea will be provided at 11:00am. As the old saying goes: ‘Many hands

make light work’, so please sign up for a job at the front office and come along and join in the fun!

Have a great week everyone and all the best, Bren.

11Tuesday 17th October

Prep 2018 Transition Activities

Star of the Week

Name Reason Grade Teacher

Sienna-Rose Your effort across all areas of your learning this week has been outstanding! Fantastic work, Sienna!

1/2H Mr. Hevern

India Your written instructions in your procedural text were clear and concise. What a great effort!

1/2C Miss Cornell

Annabelle V

You complete your own work beautifully and then help others in your class. You are kind and caring!

3O Miss O'Mara

Natalie You achieved your times tables goal and enthusiastically shared your method with your class. Thankyou!

3/4B Mr. Bailey

Hunter R For showing great commitment and leadership skills when working on your Magazine Project.

4/5A Mrs. A

Nerina R For the outstanding 3D form of your clay bird in flight. Art Senior Miss Irvin

Some of you will know Shae Mackrill as an assistant in Mrs A’s classroom where he works once or twice a week. Others may remember when he was a student at Gembrook Primary School. I first met Shae

when my son, Benjamin, was in Prep and Shae was his buddy. Shae was a great buddy, always making sure Benjamin was part of the Gembrook Primary School family and was never lost in the new world of

primary school.

On the 21st of October Shae received his Queen Scout award - the ultimate award you can receive as a

Venturer. To receive the Queen Scout award Shae has had to achieve growth in four areas – Personal

Development, Leadership, Outdoor and Communities. During this time he has done things like

attending community meetings, mentoring Scouts to show them what they can achieve and building rafts

for a weeklong trip down the Murray river (which you and your crew had to be able to sleep on). To

show his achievements, reports are written and presented to his section or others in the community.

Shae has grown throughout this journey and, most importantly, has had a lot of fun along the way. Now

Shae is continuing to inspire our students at Gembrook Primary school by working in the classroom,

showing what he has achieved, what our students can achieve and the ways that they can achieve this.

Jacinta Woehl

Gembrook Primary School 25th October School Council Meeting Summary School Council met on Wednesday 25th October and discussed many topics, including our 135 Year Celebration Day and Movie Night to be held on Friday 2nd March, 2018, our 2017 NAPLAN data, and our 2017 Parent Opinion Survey results. All parents are warmly invited to attend and observe School Council meetings. Our next meeting is on Wednesday 15th November at 7pm in the Staff Room. Best wishes, Michelle School Council Secretary

Chronicles of Johnicles

Hey everyone, Food for Thought: Where do we go from here?

Anger is something we’ve all experienced on different levels—internalised or vented. We’ve all been there. How do we recover and move forward from an angry outburst, whether we have been the one venting or whether we have been on the receiving end? Christmas can be a time of stress in many families where there are ongoing and unresolved issues between family members. Words & hearts should be handled with care, for words when spoken & hearts when broken are the hardest things to repair The quote above will resonate with many of us. The process of reconciliation is difficult but can be achieved. Final quote: The first to apologise is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest & the first to forget is the happiest.

Kind Regards, John Chambers aka Johnicles

# Betty’s

$1 dim sims available this Friday for school lunch

orders

November

2 Lily W

7 Jordy T

Student Absences

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!

If you need assistance, please contact the school office.

Thank you for your support.

SUN SMART ‘HATS ON’ FOR ALL OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Hats available for purchase on Qkr or at the

School office.

This policy is being reviewed by Gembrook Primary School Council. Your comments are appreciated in writing before Wednesday 8 November.

This policy is being reviewed by Gembrook Primary School Council. Your comments are appreciated in writing before Wednesday 8 November.

Newsletter Advertising

$10 per business card per term (businesses belonging to school families only)

$25 quarter page for 2 weeks (for businesses outside school community)

$25 quarter page per term (school families only)

Gembrook Community Op Shop

Come in and grab a bargain

Donations Accepted

Opening hours

Mon-closed Tues-Fri 10am-3pm

Sat 10am-2pm Open Sunday on Gembrook Market

Days only