Unlike most Primary Schools where only a few selected students are chosen for leadership roles in their final year of primary school, every Year 6 student at Gib Gate is awarded a monitor's role, allowing all members of the class the opportunity to assume roles of responsibility and leadership. The preparation for assuming leadership positions in Year 6 begins in Year 5, where the focus is on how the students demonstrate leadership at a classroom level through identifying individual and class group strengths and areas for development.

Whilst in Year 5, the students are asked to consider monitor roles in Year 6 that would interest and engage them, with each student nominating a role that would draw upon their personal areas of passion while also noting areas of leadership that need development and focus.

Well prepared for taking on their leadership roles, Year 6 students perform their daily duties diligently, as well as supporting and planning events for the School community that reflect the Gib Gate values of Learning to Learn through: Adventure, Belonging, Challenge, Doing, Excellence and Service. It has been a pleasure over the past two terms to work closely alongside Gib Gate Year 5 and 6 students who supported Gib Gate K-6 and Preschool Open Day events. Feedback from the many prospective families undertaking tours with Gib Gate leaders has been outstanding, with visitors commenting on the students’ respectful self-assuredness, knowledge, empathy, breadth of experience across the curriculum and ability to communicate effectively and confidently with adults and children. 

Ms Sally Robson, Head of Gib Gate

Studies

da Vinci Decathlon Competition 2019

Last Wednesday 8 May, eight Year 5 and eight Year 6 students represented Gib Gate at the regional level of this international competition, which was held at The Illawarra Christian School, Wollongong. Over 30 teams from schools in the Southern Highlands, Macarthur, Illawarra and South Coast competed in each of the ten disciplines throughout the day which included: English, Art and Poetry, Ideation, Mathematics, Science, Code Breaking, Engineering, Cartography, Creative Producers and General Knowledge. The theme for the day was ‘Balance’ which paid tribute to the life of Leonardo da Vinci.

We offer our congratulations to the Gib Gate Teams: Year 6: Sophie Alexander, Isabella Atra, Isabella Barber, Sophie Goodisson, Amelia Hartnell, Georgina Lewis, Alice Mulligan, Elizabeth Shadbolt. Year 5: Piper Berkelouw, Jack Davies, Yorke Doyle, Harry Lawson, Jade Neilson, Olivia Quilty, Scarlett Shadbolt and Matilda Telford on their success:

• Year 6: 2^nd Place in English and 2^nd Place in Ideation, and 3^rd Place Overall
• Year 5: 2^nd Place in Engineering and 2^nd Place in Cartography

Ms Kate Chauncy, Director of Teaching and Learning P-12 and Coordinator of Gifted and Talented Programmemes

Enrichment/Activities

Peer Support
We have had two Peer Support sessions so far this term and Year 6 students are doing a fine job in leading their group through the activities. Last week, the groups reflected on what it means to be optimistic and how they would work together in Peer Support sessions. This week, students shared the things they enjoy in life in order to recognise what makes them happy. We encourage parents to talk to their children about the idea of optimism to support this unit titled Living Positively.

Excursions
Term 2 holds many exciting excursions for Primary classes. Recently, Year 5 attended the Sydney Writers’ Festival. Years 3 and 4 and Years 5 and 6 will travel to Canberra to supplement their work in History and Science; Year 6 will also go to the Wollongong Science Centre to participate in activities in the Planetarium; and Years 5 and 6 will attend a film during Refugee week. All Preschool to Year 2 students will be rehearsing for their Junior Musical, The Starship Silver Grey, which will be performed in Clubbe Hall in Week 8.

Chloe Dent (Year 5) has been selected to perform as part of the mass ensemble in the professional production of the Wizard of Oz Arena Spectacular. Chloe is congratulated on this achievement and we wish her well for the rehearsal period. Performances will be held in January 2020.

Mrs Anne Graham, Gib Gate Coordinator (Administration)

Sport

Winter Sports
Team sports in Hockey, Soccer and Netball are now underway for the winter season. Gib Gate U7, U9 and U11 Hockey teams train on the turf at Frensham every Wednesday afternoon, and play their games on Saturday mornings on the turf at Welby. The six Gib Gate Soccer teams train on the School oval on Thursday afternoons, with their games being held at club grounds across the Highlands on Saturday mornings. Netball students train on the courts at Gib Gate on Thursday afternoons, with their games being held each Saturday morning on the courts at Eridge Park. We wish all teams every success as they train and play throughout the season.

Equestrian
Congratulations to Sophie Baldwin (Year 6) who competed at the Aquis Champions Tour in Beaudesert in Queensland over the holidays. Sophie had a successful event coming 1^st in both in the 80cm and 90cm Open Show Jumping, 4^th in the Children’s Tour U14 90cm, and 10^th in the Children’s U14 one metre Show Jumping. This was the first attempt for Sophie and her horse, Mirrabel Patterson, at jumping one metre.

Mr Michael Standen, Coordinator PE and Sport Gib Gate

Preschool

This week, Gib Gate’s youngest students were delighted when a new water tank was installed, with the children having many questions about how it worked. The students from last year were able to inform the newer pupils how the water would be saved from the roof as the gutters would direct the water into the water tank. The students wondered what would happen if a storm came and there was too much water for the tank, and brainstormed the answer showing a strong understanding of the concept.

The students wrote a thank-you letter and made drawings to express their gratitude for the installation of the new tank.

Mrs Tinna Loker, Preschool Coordinator