I am delighted to extend a warm welcome to the celebration of our School's Centenary year!

I enjoyed catching up with colleagues during our professional growth and preparation days prior to the start of term and I am filled with gratitude for their unwavering commitment, our wonderful building, grounds and programs that create a nurturing environment as the School has once again filled with our amazing students. I look forward to sharing this year with you and reflecting on the 100 years that has shaped Gippsland Grammar.

To mark this significant occasion, we have a series of exciting events and activities planned throughout the year. These events will not only celebrate our past but also look forward to the future with a renewed sense of purpose and vision. From next weekend’s launch weekend to reunions and the return of STAGGfair in Term 4, we invite each member of our extended Gippsland Grammar family to keep a keen eye on our communications for announcements and invitations.

There are still tickets available for the Gala event next Friday (February 23) and this is an event that we hope will bring our current families and our Old Scholars together to celebrate both the Gippsland Grammar Foundation and this amazing year in our School’s history. So I encourage you to gather those you may chat with at the school gate and embrace this opportunity to socialise together out-of-hours with a drink in hand and the live music of teacher (and singer extraordinaire) Cara Schaefer as our evening’s soundtrack. A return bus from Sale and Bairnsdale is also included in the ticket price, which you can buy here: https://www.trybooking.com/eve...

In tandem with our Centenary celebrations, I am thrilled to reiterate that we will soon be launching our School's Strategic Plan. This comprehensive roadmap outlines our vision for the next five years and charts a course for continued excellence in education. It encompasses key initiatives focuses on five strategic pillars:
- Purposeful Learning
- Culture of Trust and Growth
- Integrated Wellbeing
- Financial Sustainability
- Operational Effectiveness

As we communicate this document, I encourage you to engage with the plan, provide feedback, and join us in realising the collective aspirations we have set forth.

In the spirit of inclusivity and reconciliation, we are also establishing a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) team. This team will play a pivotal role in promoting understanding, respect, and collaboration between our School and Indigenous communities. We are calling upon passionate individuals within our Community – parents, students and community members - to volunteer for this important initiative. Your involvement will contribute significantly to building meaningful connections and fostering a culture of reconciliation within our School. Please email info@gippslandgrammar.au if you are interested in participating.

As we stand at the beginning of this year, I am filled with gratitude for the unwavering support and commitment of our Community. Together, let us embrace our past, celebrate our present and shape an inspiring future for Gippsland Grammar.

Warm regards,
Michele Wakeham
Principal

At the beginning of the 2024 school year, my message to our Campus Community has been one of connection, high expectations and positive routines.

Colour Run and Welcome Picnic
Our Colour Run and Welcome Picnic was a perfect way to start the year. We had our biggest crowd ever to this annual event. While our students ran around the colour run course, our parents and carers were able to connect with one another. Families then took advantage of the P&F sausage sizzle and food trucks for their dinner. A big thank you to the ever-active St Anne’s P&F for organising the event, to our teachers and staff who ran the colour run, and to all the families who attended.

Swimming Carnival Success
Excellent weather greeted our Year 3 to Year 6 students at our House Swimming Carnival last Tuesday. It was inspiring to see sportsmanship and resilience on display as our students showcased their swimming abilities and team spirit. Well done to all participants. Thank you to the many parents who volunteered to assist on the day, as many hands make light work. Finally, a huge thank you to Mrs Langshaw for her organisation and leadership on the day. Congratulations to Wellington Binks for winning the House Shield!
Age Champions
8/9 Girls: Pippa Langshaw and Annie Van Berkel
8/9 Boys: Ben Edgar and Baylin Said
10 Girls: Harriet Lafferty
10 Boys: Henry Arnup
11 Girls: Lucy McDonnell
11 Boys: Tom Williamson
12 Girls: Sophie Arnup
12 Boys: Darcey Langshaw

Parent Information Night
Our annual Parent Information night is a valuable opportunity for parents and carers to gain insights into our expectations and to strengthen the relationship between school and home. It was encouraging having so many of our community attend, finding out key information about their child’s year level. We also provided an opportunity for parents to attend workshops on VOS and supporting their child with their reading, writing and spelling. Below are some of the key messages shared at our Parent Information Sessions.

Class Parent Representative
We require a Class Parent Representative who will serve as a liaison between our Year level parents and the St Anne’s Parents & Friends (P&F). The Class Parent Representative will focus on supporting families and assisting with key events throughout the year, particularly the STAGGfair in Term 4, 2024. If you are interested in taking on this role, please contact your child’s classroom teacher as soon as possible. I extend my gratitude to those who volunteer for taking on this important role.

Campus visitors
St Anne’s Campus is committed to protecting its students from all aspects of harm, and has established strategies, practices, policies, and procedures to uphold this commitment. To protect our students, all visitors on campus and for off-campus events (i.e. swimming & athletics carnivals), are to sign in, with their smartphone, by scanning the QR code provided. All visitors, parents, guests that attend a campus event on-site at St Anne’s are required to sign in via a QR code by scanning this with their smartphone. QR codes will be displayed at all entry point/gates or at the sign in table provided. Please follow the prompts on your smartphone once scanned. The QR code does not replace any child safety compliance requirements that the school may require.
Visitors to St Anne’s Campus: any person entering the campus, including parents, contractors, guests etc. during a normal school day, are to sign in using the passtab iPad located at St Anne’s office on arrival and must sign out when leaving.
Photographing of students at events: you are welcome to take photos of your own child, however, we ask that you respect other families and avoid taking photos of other children. Parents/carers should be diligent within their posting of any photos to social media, ensuring that any shared images do not include other students or staff. We appreciate your understanding and support regarding this matter.

Absences on VOS
Can parents please use the ‘Absentee’ tile on the phone App to record their child’s absence from school (e.g. illness, appointment, holiday, etc.). Can we ask that parents please be vigilant with this task to allow the school to follow the daily absences protocol of the Department of Education. Alternatively, you can use VOS on your desktop/laptop by clicking on the dropdown menu and selecting ‘parent service’ then ‘absences’ and complete the ‘report a student absence’ form.

Upcoming key events
Centenary Gala Event at Maffco: Fri February 23
SRC Fellowship & Clean Up Australia Day (F – Yr 6): Fri March 1
Parent/Teacher interviews: Tuesday March 5 and Wednesday March 6