Supporting Each Other in Times of Need

I hope this newsletter finds you well and refreshed in whichever way the recent holiday period worked for you. Over the past weeks, while we have witnessed some tragic stories in our news headlines, I continue to be in awe of the displays of assistance, empathy, support and compassion among people. The invaluable role of our first responders, who bravely step forward in the face of adversity is inspiring. Their dedication and selflessness serve as guiding beacons of hope in challenging times. I believe it is ever more crucial to continue to nurture a culture of empathy and solidarity in our community.

Just recently, as one of our junior school families arrived at the Garnsey campus for a tour, a heart-warming incident unfolded. A senior school student encountered an unfortunate accident on her bike and, without a moment's hesitation, members of this family rushed to her aid. Their swift action, care, and concern exemplify the essence of what it means to be part of our school family.

As educators and parents, we have a profound responsibility to instil these values in our children. We must empower them to become the first responders in their own right, equipped with a readiness to lend a helping hand. It is through nurturing these qualities that we can foster a generation of individuals who are not only academically accomplished but also socially conscious and proactive in serving others.

In our School Community, there are countless opportunities for our students to embody the spirit of service. Whether it's through volunteering initiatives, peer support programs, or simply extending a gesture of kindness to those in need, each act contributes to the fabric of our collective empathy, where reaching out to one another in times of need is second nature.

Life's most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’.
– Martin Luther King Jr.

Welcome to another busy term at the Early Learning Centres. The children have returned from holidays rested and ready for new challenges and learning. I have spent time in both Centres this week and the teachers and educators have created beautiful learning environments for the children to enjoy and explore. A very warm welcome to a number of new families who have joined us this term; we hope that you enjoy your time with us.

In Sale, the children have been noticing the change of seasons in our beautiful St Anne’s grounds, and this is inspiring artwork and discussions about the natural world. I expect that there will be some leaf-collecting walks happening in the weeks ahead. In Bairnsdale the children are building their home/school connection with two ‘take home’ projects. I am sure that the children will be very excited to take home ‘Morris the wombat’, or ‘Josie the Joey’, in the weeks ahead. We will have Miss Dent and Miss Cuttriss on teaching rounds for the first few weeks of term and Mrs Collins is being ably assisted during this time by the very experienced Ms Vercoe, Mrs Oram and Mrs Whitfield. The whole team met during the holidays to plan wonderful term two activities and events.

At the end of Term 1, the children were excited to receive their Centenary badges, which were also given to every Gippsland Grammar student and staff member. It was especially delightful for those children who have parents or grandparents who also attended the school. We look forward to more opportunities to celebrate our school’s special birthday later in the year.

Behind the scenes we are currently accepting 2025 ELC enrolments so if anyone has forgotten to enrol a younger sibling or you know someone else who is interested, then please remind them to do so now.

We have many special events, excursions and incursions planned for this term, so please make a note of the dates and check your class page VOS page regularly for more information. Transition families will also shortly receive information about parent/teacher interview dates.

IMPORTANT DATES
St Anne’s Transition
April 26: Visit to Annemieke Mein exhibition, 2pm
May 10: Mother’s Day Breakfast 8am (in ELC)
June 7: Student-free day

Bairnsdale Transition
May 2: Waste and recycling incursion, 11 am
May 10: Mother's Day Fellowship and breakfast (details TBC)
June 4: Stop, Look, Listen, Think traffic safety incursion, 1pm
June 7: Student-free day

Bairnsdale Reception
May 8/10: Mother's Day event, 2.15 pm

St Anne’s Reception
May 8: (Yellow Cygnets) Mother’s Day event, 2.40pm
May 9: (Green Cygnets) Mother’s Day event, 2.40pm

As we move into the cooler weather, please ensure that your child has a warm-named jacket, as we do play outside in most weather.

The Gippsland Grammar Foundation will host a Giving Week next week to raise funds for our School’s Building Fund. Our School relies on the Foundation – our fundraising arm – to raise funds for capital projects which would otherwise be impossible. Recent initiatives supported by the Foundation include the Garnsey Art & Design Centre, the St Anne’s Years 3/4 Learning Centre and the Bairnsdale Campus basketball roof structure. The current fundraising focus is for the new St Anne’s ‘early years zone’, which includes the ELC and Foundation classrooms, as well as other building improvements at our Bairnsdale and Garnsey campuses.

Giving Week donation fliers will be available at each of our Grandparents Day events next week or donations can be made directly via our website at: www.gippslandgrammar.au/community/foundation

Next week we celebrate our grandparents and special friends at events at each of our campuses as part of our Grandparents’ Week celebrations. And in honour of our Centenary year, these occasions will be when we present students whose parents or grandparents (or even great-grandparents) with our new ‘Generations Badge’. This badge will be given to each current student and their Old Scholar family member who also attended our school. To ensure our records are as accurate as possible, we are asking families to let us know of any grandparent or great-grandparent connection, so please email Sarah Guinness at development@gippslandgrammar.au if you have a Generations connection you wish to be recognised in this way. Our most recent edition of Veritas included a list which showed which family connections we have already confirmed.

Our two Centenary books have been hugely popular since they were launched over our Centenary weekend in Term 1. ‘Memories, stories from 100 years of Gippsland Grammar’ by Ann Andrew is a wonderful compilation of 100 stories from students from our earliest years until today; while its companion publication ‘Wheelbarrow’s Birthday’ is a children’s book that reimagines 12 of those stories in a form more suitable for our current youngest students. Both books will be available at our Grandparents’ Day events or online here: https://gippslandgrammar.mysho...