The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.

J. M. Barrie, Peter Pan

The Senior Musical Production of Peter Pan is now a memorable highlight of Term 4 2019. Leading parts taken by the entire Year 6 class were perfectly cast to allow each individual to perform at their best. The students from Years 3, 4 and 5, cast as Lost Boys, Warriors and Pirates, did an outstanding job of performing singing and dancing routines. It was clear to the audience how much fun the entire cast were having working together to create such a spectacular production. The costumes were outstanding and I would like to congratulate parents and also Mrs Graham, Mrs Lomax and the entire Gib Gate staff for working collaboratively and supportively with each other and the students. As a result, Gib Gate students’ self-esteem and confidence, and their skills in public speaking and presentation, are outstanding.

See Peter Pan Photo Gallery

Ms Sally Robson, Head of Gib Gate

Studies

Curriculum Innovation 2020: New PDHPE K-6 Syllabus Implementation

The new Personal Development, Health and Physical Education (PDHPE) syllabus has been developed by NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) and will be implemented in all schools from the commencement of Term 1 2020. During Term 4, Gib Gate teachers have been designing new units of work after completing a two-hour workshop earlier this term, with AIS NSW specialist education consultant, Nicky Sloss.

Teachers continue to have the flexibility to make decisions about the sequence of learning, the emphasis to be given to particular areas of content, and any adjustments required based on the needs, interests, abilities and prior learning of their students. As a guide, schools are required to allocate approximately 1.5 to 2.5 hours in a typical school week to teaching PDHPE. At Gib Gate, we exceed this requirement through our commitment to ensuring students have the opportunity to learn about, and the skills to live, healthy, safe and active lives.

Physical education is fundamental to the acquisition of movement skills and concepts to enable students to participate in a range of physical activities – confidently, competently and creatively. The new syllabus continues to provide students with the opportunity to enhance and develop resilience and connectedness and learn to interact respectfully with others. In addition, students are provided with opportunities to learn to critique and challenge assumptions, attitudes, behaviours and stereotypes and evaluate a range of health-related sources, services and organisations. They develop a commitment to the qualities and characteristics that promote and develop empathy, resilience, respectful relationships, inclusivity and social justice.

Class and specialist teachers at Gib Gate will ensure that the scope and sequence of learning in PDHPE reflects the dynamic nature of health, safety, wellbeing and participation in physical activity in the context of a diverse and rapidly changing society, providing students with an experiential curriculum that is contemporary, relevant, challenging and physically active. The new units of work, commencing in Week 1 of Term 1 2020, will provide students with a foundation to actively contribute to, and advocate for, the health, safety and wellbeing of themselves and others in the community and beyond school.

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

Sport

Equestrian
Sophie Baldwin (Year 6) is commended for her ongoing success in Equestrian. Recently, Sophie competed at the Australian Jumping Championships in Victoria. On her horse Mirabel Patterson, Sophie placed second in the Ivory Series 80-90cm, 22^nd in the Pearl Series 90-100cm, and in the Children’s Series100-110cm, she made the final and finished in 22^nd place overall.

Tennis
This term, Gib Gate has run a Saturday morning tennis competition in conjunction with players from the Moss Vale Tennis Club. Games have been conducted at the Frensham Courts between 10:00am and 11:30am each Saturday. This has been an enjoyable and worthwhile experience for all the students involved. We thank Mr Justin Taylor and Mr Sergio Rojas for organising and running the programme.

Mr Michael Standen, Coordinator PE and Sport Gib Gate

Enrichment/Activities

Kids on Show
Gib Gate will exhibit a range of Art and Craft work in the Berrima District Art Gallery Kids on Show exhibition. The official opening is Friday 29 November at 5.30pm at the Gallery and this exhibition will be open to the public from Saturday 30 November – Sunday 8 December between 10.00am and 4.00pm daily.

Performances
Gib Gate offers many performance opportunities for students during the year. The Friday Performance Assemblies provide a supportive opportunity for musicians at Gib Gate to perform for the whole school. There are two Soirée evenings each year in which individual students from Years 5 and 6 are invited to perform. Last week’s Term 4 Soirée was a great success with over 35 student performances on piano, violin, viola, flute, saxophone, clarinet, voice, drums, guitar and cello. Students enjoy the opportunity to perform in the evening in this formal recital context. The high standard of performances, noted by parents and tutors this year, is a result of increased emphasis on practice through homework goals.

Year 6
Year 6 students and parents are looking forward to the formal Year 6 Dinner on Friday 29 November, with the Gib Gate Hall being transformed into a beautiful venue. Students will present excerpts from the Reflections writing and perform for their parents. On Monday 2 December, Years 5 and 6 will enjoy the Social which will be Hippie themed with students dancing, playing games and sharing food together. On their final day at Gib Gate, Year 6 will host their Kindergarten buddies in a range of activities they have planned and organised for the Buddy Day, and will share their reflections with the School at their final Assembly, for students only. 

Mrs Anne Graham, Gib Gate Coordinator (Administration)

Preschool

‘When you’re curious, you find a lot of interesting things to do’.  – Walt Disney

The youngest Gib Gate students' interest in spiders developed when Amaya Sorenson constructed a spider from playdough. She made a cage for the spider and placed it in a container so that it wouldn't chase her classmates or teachers.

Over the last month of the Preschool Spider Project, students developed a series of questions that would assist the investigation. One of the questions was: ‘Is everyone scared of spiders?’ We decided to survey the Gib Gate community to find out the answer to this question. Gib Gate teachers were emailed to determine convenient times for Preschool to visit. The schedule provided an organisational framework for the children who had to review visit times and methodically cross them off after each visit. A chart was drawn up to record their findings and the children worked together to interpret it – a complex task.

Through internet and book research, discussions with peers and Gib Gate students, surveys, artwork, spider charts, pet spiders and finding spider egg sacks in the worm farm, the students became well informed about spiders. Using the resources in our school and beyond helped to demonstrate the many different ways that information about a topic can be discovered and communicated.

Mrs Tinna Loker, Preschool Coordinator