In our classrooms

Staying Connected to Learning During the School Holidays

School holidays are an important time for children to rest, recharge, and enjoy a break from their regular routines. While downtime is essential, holidays also provide wonderful opportunities to keep curiosity alive and support learning in enjoyable, low-pressure ways.

Learning doesn't have to look like schoolwork. In fact, some of the most valuable learning experiences happen through everyday activities, conversations, and exploration.

1. Read Every Day

Reading is one of the simplest and most effective ways to maintain learning during the holidays.

Try:

• Visiting your local library
• Listening to audiobooks during car trips
• Encouraging children to read recipes, maps, signs, or instructions

Even 15–20 minutes of reading each day can help build vocabulary, comprehension, and confidence.

2. Turn Everyday Activities into Learning Opportunities

Many daily tasks naturally involve important learning skills.

Examples include:

• Cooking and baking to practise measurement and following instructions
• Shopping to develop budgeting and mathematical thinking
• Gardening to explore science and nature
• Planning family outings using maps and timetables

Ask open-ended questions such as:

• "What do you think will happen if...?"
• "How could we solve this problem?"
• "Why do you think that happened?"

These conversations help develop critical thinking and communication skills.

3. Keep Mathematical Thinking Active

Maths can be incorporated into everyday play and activities.

Try:

• Board games involving counting or strategy
• Measuring ingredients while cooking
• Estimating distances, costs, or travel times
• Building with blocks, LEGO, or construction materials

These experiences help children see mathematics as practical and relevant.

With one more week left this term, I wish all families a safe, relaxing, and enjoyable holiday break filled with curiosity, discovery, and fun learning experiences.

Maddie Witter

Principal

Jumping Jelly in Prep

Our Prep students had a wonderful time making Frogs in a Pond as part of a hands-on literacy learning experience. Students helped make the jelly before placing a chocolate frog inside and watching it set.

Throughout the activity, students used oral language to discuss the process, describe their observations and sequence the events in order. We then reflected on the experience together and shared what happened from beginning to end.

To connect our learning with phonics, students had fun sharing alliterative phrases such as "Jumping jelly and jiggly jelly." This helped them hear and recognise the repeated /j/ sound in different words.

While there was plenty of learning involved in making our Frogs in a Pond, the favourite part was definitely eating it all up!

What you can do at home:

• Play an alliteration game together by thinking of words that start with the same sound, such as jelly, jump, jet and jacket. Can you put them in a sentence?

• Encourage your child to retell a familiar experience, such as a family outing, by sharing what happened first, next and last.

In grade one

This week, Grade One students made fairy bread as part of our focus on procedural writing. Students enjoyed making and eating their own fairy bread while learning about the structure and features of procedures. The ingredients used were white bread, margarine and sprinkles.

This hands-on activity helped students understand the importance of following steps in the correct order and using clear instructions when writing a procedure.

At home, encourage your child to help make a simple snack or meal and talk through the steps involved. Ask them to explain the materials needed and the order of the instructions. This will help reinforce our learning about procedural texts and sequencing.

Year 2 Melbourne Zoo Excursion

Last Thursday, the Year 2 students enjoyed an exciting excursion to Melbourne Zoo as part of our Life Cycles Topic this term. What better way to learn about animals than by seeing some of our favourites up close in their habitats!

Students had the opportunity to observe a wide variety of animals and make real-world connections to the learning taking place in our classroom. The excursion provided many opportunities for curiosity, questioning, and hands-on learning, making it a memorable experience for all.

Questions and discussion starters for home:
What was your favourite animal at the zoo and why?
How does the life cycle of your favourite animal compare to a human life cycle?
What adaptations help that animal live in its environment?

In grade three

Grade 3 students have been busy developing their mathematical skills through engaging lessons on graphs, time and multiplication. A strong focus on collaborative group work has encouraged students to share strategies, explain their thinking and learn from one another. Working together helps build confidence, communication skills and deeper mathematical understanding.

At home you might like to support learning by discussing graphs found in newspapers or online, practising telling time throughout the day, and reinforcing multiplication facts through games, everyday activities such as cooking and shopping. These experiences help students make meaningful connections between mathematics and the world around them.

In grade four

Grade 4 has been working on ‘Location, Location!’, developing and practising their mapping skills by creating bird’s-eye view maps of GIPS, with some students even mapping their journey to school. Students have applied their understanding of compass directions, scale, coordinates, and keys to create maps that are clear, accurate, and easy to read.

We have also completed our Stop and Pause on persuasive writing, where students wrote letters using persuasive features such as hooks (including rhetorical questions, humour, and direct address), strong arguments, and effective paragraph structure. It has been fantastic to see students developing creative ideas and expanding on their opinions with convincing reasons and examples.

What you can do at home:
Students can practise their mapping skills by helping with navigation (particularly when using Google Maps) and discussing how maps have evolved over time (use of Melways etc.). You could also ask your child to share what they wrote about for their Stop and Pause persuasive letter and discuss the change they would like to see happen at GIPS.

In grade five

Grade 5 consolidated their learning of perimeter and area with a fun Tetris task. Students were given measurement criteria to design shapes and use those shapes to create a Tetris game wall. To further support students with this unit, parents are encouraged to discuss the difference between perimeter and area with their children and how each can be calculated for certain shapes. Similarly, parents can discuss estimation with their children by making thoughtful conclusions as to the area or perimeter of a garden, courtyard, bedroom floor or footy oval. Measurement of varying lengths and converting units can be added to the discussions.

In grade six

Grade 6 are moving from 2D shapes and measurements to 3D this week. We began by revising 3D shapes and then moved on to looking at shapes from different perspectives. Students created models with connecting blocks for their table partners and drew top and side views. Pushing further, we then had a go at using isometric dot paper to draw an accurate 3D version of our models. From here we will move on to volume and capacity. We strongly encourage parents to make the connection between home and school with this topic. Capacity can be found in many places around the home. Perhaps provide a challenge to your child to find 5 items of differing capacity, such as milk bottles or face moisturiser, and order their capacity measurements. Work with them on converting the units of measure so they are the same.

In performing arts

The grade 3 to 6 students have been finishing their improvisation work in drama. They have all worked hard to become experts at accepting and extending offers during improvised performances, as well as using improvisation to help generate ideas. The Prep students have revisited tempo in music and performed fast and slow steady beats using tambourines, djembes, and ukuleles. Lastly, having finished exploring drama for the semester, the grade 1 and 2 students have been trying out dance in performing arts. They have used their imagination to dance through their own videogame worlds as their own made-up characters, turning dance moves into videogame actions.

In art class

Year 1 students have used modelling clay to form and shape turtles, using clay tools to create the patterns and markings of a turtle’s shell in the clay. Gel plates were used to print the water background, and various papers formed the undersea collage.

In our Spanish room

Our Prep students have been having lots of fun learning Spanish through a collection of stories featuring Coco, a friendly dog, and her adventures. Each week, students enjoy a new story while learning new vocabulary related to animals, colours, families, feelings, and everyday objects. Through songs, games, movement activities, and colouring tasks, students are developing their listening skills and beginning to recognise and use simple Spanish words in an engaging and enjoyable way.

In our staffroom

Supporting Every Learner: Exploring Hinge Questions

At our recent staff professional learning sessions, teachers have been exploring the use of hinge questions as a powerful tool to support student learning.

A hinge question is a carefully designed question that teachers ask during a lesson to quickly check students' understanding of an important concept. The question acts as a "hinge" point in the learning process, helping teachers decide whether students are ready to move on or if additional explanation, practice, or support is needed.

By using hinge questions, teachers can gather immediate feedback from all students, rather than relying on a small number of responses. This helps ensure that every child's understanding is considered and that teaching can be adjusted to meet students' needs in real time.

Research shows that checking for understanding throughout a lesson can have a significant impact on student achievement. Hinge questions encourage active participation, help identify misconceptions early, and give students opportunities to reflect on their own learning.

As part of our ongoing commitment to evidence-informed teaching practices, staff have been collaborating to design effective hinge questions and explore ways to use student responses to guide instruction. This professional learning supports our goal of providing engaging, responsive, and high-quality learning experiences for all students.

We look forward to continuing this work and sharing the positive impact it has on student learning and growth.

Wellbeing at GIPS: The Resilience Project

In this edition, we’re focusing on The Resilience Project, which supports students to build resilience and positive mental health.

The program is centred around three key principles:

• Gratitude – noticing and appreciating the positives
• Empathy – understanding and caring for others
• Mindfulness – being present in the moment

You may hear your child talk about “GEM” (Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness), which is a simple way to remember these ideas.

In the classroom, this might include:

• Reflecting on things they are grateful for
• Practising mindfulness activities
• Discussing how to show empathy to others

At home, you can support this by:

• Sharing what you’re grateful for each day
• Encouraging acts of kindness
• Taking time to slow down and be present together

These small, everyday practices help build resilience and support positive mental health.

Kinder visit

Our Grade 5 students recently visited Uniting Kindergarten as part of the development of our G5 Buddy Program. During the visit, students had the opportunity to connect with the kindergarten children through play, conversation, and shared activities, helping to build positive relationships ahead of their transition to primary school. We look forward to continuing these connections throughout the year and welcoming our future students into the GIPS community.

Upcoming parenting workshop

Welcome to Australia Tea for International Families

On 14 July our international families return for six or more weeks in grades 1-5. We would like to welcome our new GIPS families with a welcome to Australia morning tea. If you would like to make something for our new community members for morning tea that reminds you of Australia, please drop off in the library on 14 July before 9:00 am.

Make a Tax Deductible Donation this End of Financial Year

As we approach the end of the financial year, we would like to sincerely thank all families who have supported our school throughout 2026. Your contributions make a real difference to the opportunities, facilities and resources we provide for our students.

This week, information has been sent home with your eldest child outlining our current Parent Payments progress, along with details about making a donation to our Building Fund or Library Fund. The information also highlights recently completed projects and future improvements planned across the school. Donations to both the Building Fund and Library Fund are tax deductible and directly support enhancements to our learning environments and school grounds. If you are considering making a contribution, we encourage you to do so before 30 June to take advantage of the tax deduction for this financial year.

The easiest way to make a contribution is via the Compass Portal. Alternatively, you can visit the front office or contact the school for assistance.

Thank you for your ongoing support of our school community. Every contribution, regardless of size, helps us continue to improve our school for the benefit of all students.

Regards,

Joanne Hayes

Business Manager

Parking at Church Reminder

We kindly ask all GIPS families to please refrain from using the Church carpark for school drop-off, pick-up or parking purposes.

This is a private carpark reserved for church and kindergarten users only, and we have received ongoing concerns regarding its use by members of our school community. To maintain positive relationships with our neighbours and ensure access remains available for authorised users, we ask that all families respect this request.

We appreciate your cooperation and support in helping us be considerate members of the wider community.

2027 Prep Enrolments

Dear parent community,

Enrolments for Prep 2027 are closing the 31 July. To commence online enrolment: Visit https://students.educationapps... to create an account and complete the online application form. Please ensure that all documents required are attached to the application. A Quick Reference Guide to using the online system is available here.

Our school zone

Our school zone is available on findmyschool.vic.gov.au which hosts the most up-to-date information on school zones in Victoria. Students residing within our school zone are guaranteed a place at our school, which is determined based on your permanent residential address. Our school manages enrolments using the Placement Policy to ensure that students have access to their designated neighbourhood school and may enrol at another school, if there are available places.

Placement policy

Schools must manage enrolment applications by following the priority order of placement.

1. Families in the school zone are offered a place at GIPS.
2. Students with a sibling at the same permanent address who are attending the school at the same time
3. All other students in order of closeness from their permanent address to the school.
4. Walk or Wheel Fridays
   A reminder that every Friday until the end of Term 2 will be ‘Walk or Wheel (WOW) Friday’! We encourage all students to ride or walk to school. If you need to, you can drive closer to school and walk or wheel part of the way. If your child is younger, you can park your car and ride or walk with them.
   The Environment SALT will be collecting data on how many students have walked or wheeled to school and the winning class each week will be awarded the Golden Boot! There will be more prizes for term winners.
   We are looking forward to seeing everyone walk or wheel to school tomorrow.
   Remember to keep your eyes on the road!
   Grade 6 SALT (Student Action Leadership Team) Environment Team

SRC Fundraiser

The SRC are raising money for the Royal Flying Doctors. Families are invited to buy a $2 donut and proceeds will go to the charity. More information will be shared shortly.

Orders for the donuts will close 19 June at 4:00 pm.

The donut day will be 25 June. Stay tuned for a Compass newsfeed!

- SRC

Parent Evening- Save the Date

Dear Families,

We are delighted to announce that our annual Parent Evening will be held on Saturday, 29 August. This year, the focus of the event is simple: creating a relaxed space for parents to take some time out from a very busy year, unwind, and enjoy each other’s company. A small group of enthusiastic parents is helping shape the evening, which will also support the school’s fundraising efforts. Please mark your calendars. More details about the program, venue, and ticketing will be shared in late July. We are also welcoming light sponsorships or prize contributions, particularly in the areas of catering, wellbeing products, wellbeing services and others. If you or someone you know would like to support the event, please contact the school office. We look forward to offering parents across all year levels a warm, enjoyable evening to pause, reconnect, and recharge.

Warm regards,

Parent Evening Team

Premiers' Reading Challenge

The Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge is now open and Glen Iris Primary School is excited to be taking part!

The Challenge is open to all Victorian children from birth to Year 10 in recognition of the importance of reading for literacy development. It is not a competition; but a personal challenge for children to read a set number of books by the 4th of September, 2026.

Children from Prep to Grade 2 are encouraged to read or ‘experience’ 30 books with their parents and teachers. All children who complete the Challenge will receive a certificate of achievement signed by the Victorian Premier and former premiers.

This year’s Challenge theme is ‘Stories to discover. Stories to tell’. Stories can inspire and challenge us, and help us grow. They open our eyes to new worlds and new ways of thinking.

To learn more about the Challenge, visit Premiers' Reading Challenge | vic.gov.au

You can also contact one of our Challenge Coordinators at Mary-Anne.Jansen@education.vic.gov.au (Prep to Grade 2) or Charles.Collopy-White@education.vic.gov.au (Grade 3 to 6) with any questions.

Happy reading!Fr

From Team Kids