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- Principal's Address
- Virtue Focus - Consideration
- Class 1/2
- Class 7 Assembly
- Class 7 and Class 8 GHSS Parent Information Afternoon
- GHSS Enrolment 2024
- Kindy 2024 Enrolment
- Lentil Vegetable Soup
- Family Participation Hours - Reminder
- Sentral App and Parent Portal
- Cardio Tennis
- Bibbulmun Track 25th Anniversary Walk
- West Australian Female Football Academy
- Saver Plus
- School Health Nurse Message
- Feedback Welcome!
My light is pressed by darkness round;
It is not easy to stay upright, strong and sound!
The Dragon, lurking, would devour
My shining radiance with his power.
But I, remembering how on winter's Holy Night,
In darkness shone the Midnight Sun that is the world's true Light,
Need have no fear of dragons wild
For I am led by the Holy Child.
Dear GHSS Families,
Welcome back to Term 3! I hope all our families were able to enjoy a restorative break and were not too plagued by the many winter illnesses doing the rounds.
Term 3 coincides with the Noongar season of Djilba which can bring the second rains, but also the start of the clearer and warmer days. Wildflowers begin to bloom, bringing a burst of colour across the land. In particular you will see the flowering of creams and yellows of cujong (golden wreath wattle or Acacia saligna) blossom in the jarrah forest and coastal areas, while mungart (jam wattle) is prolific further inland.
The wannang (peppermint or Agonis flexuosa) also bursts into full flower, with cascades of beautiful, tiny, creamy-white flowers covering its weeping branches. This signals that it's time to go fishing for the blue-swimmer crab near the coast and estuaries. There are also still some vivid and striking blues, like the kummock (Australian bluebell creeper or Billardiera heterophylla), which will fruit later in the year.
As the days start to warm up, we start to see and hear the first of the newborns with their proud parents out and about providing them food, guiding them through foraging tasks and protecting them. The woodland birds will still be nest bound, hence the protective swooping behaviour of the koolbardi (magpie) starts to ramp up and if watched closely, so too do the djidi djidi (willy-wag-tails) and the chuck-a-luck (wattle birds) to name a couple of others.
Our Djilba Festival is set for the last Thursday of term, September 28th, finishing at 12.30pm, with Friday being a Pupil Free Day as staff take the opportunity to engage in their own professional learning ahead of the Term 3 break.
It is also time to start gearing up in our plans for our Spring Fair in November. This is a great way to promote our school and the success of the day depends on parents working in collaboration with the staff and children to showcase our best selves. If you have skills to offer in the area of assisting with planning we would love to hear from you!
Class 6 & 7 parents, please mark your calendars for Friday August 18th, to meet after school and hear about our plans for high school next year. We shall be distributing enrolment packs on this day also. If you are unable to attend, we will send a pack home after the meeting. If you already know that you will be leaving us, we would really appreciate you submitting your withdrawal form as soon as possible to assist us with planning for next year, and by the end of this term at the latest.
Book Week is fast approaching - only 2 weeks away!! A reminder that we are promoting books and literature and prefer to avoid TV-inspired costumes so scan your bookshelves for inspiration! I can't wait to see everyone in their costumes on Friday 25th August.
Jacqui Hollingworth
Principal
Each newsletter we will be sharing a virtue that will be the focus in our school over the following three weeks.
What is Consideration? Consideration is being thoughtful about other people and their feelings. It is thinking about how your actions affect them and caring about how they feel. It is paying attention to what other people like and don't like, and doing things that give them happiness.
Why Practice it? When people behave selfishly and don't practice consideration, other people feel hurt. If we play music too loud, or forget someone's birthday, or leave things around that people can trip on, we are being inconsiderate. When we are considerate, others know they are important to us. We bring them happiness, and they feel like making us happy too.
How do you practice it? Consideration begins by noticing what people need and thinking about how your actions are affecting them. You care about how they feel. You act as if other people are just as important as you are. You do little things to bring happiness to others. In giving a gift to someone, think carefully about what would please that person. Give tender attention to people who are sad.
Signs of Success Congratulations! You are practicing Consideration when you...
- Respect other people's needs and feelings.
- Consider others' needs as important as your own.
- Stop and think how your actions will affect others.
- Put yourself in other people's shoes.
- Give tender attention.
- Think of little things to bring others happiness.
"The best portion of a good man's life, his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and of love" William Wordsworth, "Lines Composed Above Tintern Abbey"
Last term, Class 1/2 engaged in a kite making project. I wondered if together we could make something from scratch and see it through to completion – a lesson in sustainability, design and craftsmanship. Initially, the children worked in pairs assisting one another in creating the form and stitching the seams. They then went on to design and paint the face of their individual kites. This seemingly simple and yet challenging task over the course of 10 weeks enabled the children to mix in a social sense and help and support one another in surprising ways. I observed a significant growth in confidence and was struck by the power of process-oriented work. This term we will transfer these skills to puppet making using different methods which in turn will develop our collaborative storytelling.
We have also created a class tradition of a Thursday: miming. This has become a part of our story work progression and its been incredible to witness the children's lively expression and deep listening during these moments.
Lastly, Heather lovingly cut out these Bush Bird forms for Class 2 to paint and install around a bird bath that they will construct in gardening. We hope to dedicate this space to Heather, to honour and appreciate the time that we shared and the gifts that she contributed to the school and the wider community.
Class 7 and Class 8 GHSS Parent Information Afternoon
Class 7 and Class 8 GHSS Parent Information Afternoon
Jacqui and Robyn invite our families (especially those of our current Class 6 and Class 7's) to come along to a Parent Information afternoon on
Friday 18th August at 3pm.
The purpose of the session is to answer your questions regarding how Class 7 and Class 8 will look at GHSS in 2024 and beyond, and to hear any feedback you would like to provide.
Please RSVP to the office as refreshments will be provided.
We will meet in Class 7 @ 3.00pm for a 3.15pm start.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Here is a yummy, warming soup recipe from the book - The Waldorf School Book of Soups.
Lentil Vegetable Soup
1.5 cups lentils
1/4 cup brown rice (optional)
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 large onion, chopped
2.5 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp fresh, or 1 Tbsp dried parsley
1 bay leaf
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large stick celery, chopped
grated cheddar cheese
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil. Add lentils and brown rice. Return to boil and add tomatoes, onion, oil, and spices. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add carrot and celery, and simmer, partially covered, until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Stir frequently.
Serve piping hot, topped with cheddar cheese.
Serves 4-6
Family Participation Hours - Reminder
Our new school Parent Portal and App - Sentral - is now live.
You should have been emailed instructions and an Access Key. If you haven't received this please email office@goldenhill.wa.edu.au to advise.
We will be transitioning from the Schoolzine app to our new Sentral app. You can start using the Sentral App to advise of student absences from now on.
You will also be able to access newsletters, forms, documents, the school calendar, book parent teacher interviews etc. We will be rolling out more functionality as time goes on.
Should you require some assistance in setting up and accessing the Parent Portal, please come in to the front office where we will be happy to help you.
More information can also be found here - https://www.sentral.com.au/app-getting-started about downloading the app for your smart phone.
We are starting cardio tennis at the Denmark Tennis Club on Wednesday, 16th August at 9:30am. Cardio tennis is a great fitness routine - you don't need to be a tennis player it just incorporates some hitting tennis balls and lots of running.
It will cost $20 per session and the first block will go for about 6 weeks and start up again in 4th term.
Mums (and dads) come down after you have dropped your kids off at school and have some fun. There is a good coffee machine in the clubhouse and you can enjoy a cup after the session.
Attached flyers for your info. Pass on to your friends.
Joan Bonser, Chair, Denmark Tennis Club
Bibbulmun Track 25th Anniversary Walk
The Bibbulmun Track 25th Anniversary walkers are on their way from Kalamunda to Albany and are getting closer to Denmark every day! There is an opportunity for Denmark locals to be involved in the walk by joining the walkers as they walk into town. Free bus transport has been arranged for the 6th September with three different options -
Denmark
Wednesday 6th September
Walk 1: Meet at the Denmark Visitor Centre at 10am to be transported to Lights Rd (near Monkey Rock), and then join the official walkers for the last 12.9km as they head toward Denmark and parade into town to the community event at 2.45pm. Book your seat on the bus here.
Walk 2: Meet at the Denmark Visitor Centre at 12.15pm to be transported to Ocean Beach Rd (near the base of Mt Hallowell), and then join the official walkers for the last 6.5km as they head toward Denmark and parade into town to the community event at 2.45pm. Book your seat on the bus here.
Walk 3: Join the group anywhere on the outskirts of town (along the Bibbulmun Track or from the Rivermouth south of town) and parade with the walkers into Denmark.
West Australian Female Football Academy
Develop your game and elevate your skills with WAFFA!
At the West Australian Female Football Academy, our aim is to help female footballers evolve their football knowledge and abilities at all levels of the game.
Our programs are designed to assist in the development of female footballers from beginners to elite level.
Registration is now open for our Future Stars 2-day Super Clinic which will be running during the September school holidays. This time we’ll also be at the home of the West Coast Eagles!
Our participants have the opportunity to be coached and learn AFL skills firsthand from some of the West Coast Eagles AFLW coaches and players including; Jess Sedunary, Jaide Britton, Shanae Davison, Charlie Thomas, Krstel Petrevski and Lauren Wakfer!
Clinic details:
- Location: Mineral Resources Park, Lathlain – West Coast Eagles HQ*
- Date: Tuesday 26th & Wednesday 27th September 2023
- Time: 10am - 2pm
- Ages: For girls aged 8yo - 15yo
- Duration: 4 hours each day
- Cost: $195
Registration Link: https://www.waffa.com.au/future-stars-super-clinic-september-holidays-metro
*Note: This is subject to change as the club may resurface the ovals at some stage after the season. If that is the case we will be back at Scotch College.
Please feel free to circulate this email and the attached flyer to your physical education departments and any students who may be interested in joining us.
If you have any queries, please feel free to contact us at communications@waffa.com.au
Thank you for assisting us in growing female football in WA.
Kind regards,
WAFFA Communications Team
Major Sponsor
Alternative Contacts:
Ryan Turnbull
Co-Founder & Academy Coach
M: 0419 995 472 E: ryan@waffa.com.au
Chad Morrison
Co-Founder & Academy Coach
M: 0416 115 815 E: chad@waffa.com.au
Like many families in WA, your families may also be experiencing the impact of cost-of-living challenges. Saver Plus helps empower families with money skills and assist with school expenses by rewarding them for saving.
What is Saver Plus?
Saver Plus is a free online community money skills program funded by ANZ and the Australian Government, and delivered by The Smith Family in WA:
- helping people to hit their savings goals,
- develop life-long savings habits, and
- receive up to $500 in matched savings from ANZ to assist with school expenses.
Eligibility criteria applies.
If you have any questions please let us know, watch our video or attend one of our online information sessions, register here.
Undescended Testes
Screening for undescended testes is recommended for boys at school entry (~4-5 years of age). Around 2-4% of boys have an undescended testes at birth. But sometimes the testes (also known as testicle) is in the scrotum at birth but is pulled up into the groin or abdomen at around 4-10 years of age. This happens because the cord that attaches the testicle to the abdomen doesn’t grow at the same rate as the child.
Undescended testes don’t fully sit within the scrotum. The condition isn’t painful but can increase the risk of several other health issues such as decreased fertility and testicular cancer. For those boys who develop an undescended testicle later in childhood, the 'ascending' testicle often needs surgery between 5 years and 10 years.
Please read through the information about undescended testicles provided by Raising Children Network and encourage your child to check themselves as described there.
If you have any concerns, please contact your General Practitioner or Community Health Nurse, Rochelle Klose 98480616 / 0427426137 rochelle.klose@health.wa.gov.au
Please know that as a school we are always open to feedback should you wish to provide it. We are constantly striving to refine our processes and make improvements where necessary.
Feel free to contact us via phone (9848 1811), email - office@goldenhill.wa.edu.au or principal@goldenhill.wa.edu.au or come in and make an appointment to speak with someone.
Positive feedback especially welcome!