update from head of primary
23 September End of Term Assembly
25 September German Cultural Day at GISS
Rachel Hennig / Head of Primary
As we move towards the end of Term 3, it's a wonderful time to reflect on how we continue to grow as a community, embrace diversity, and reinforce our core value of kindness. Here's a look at some of the fantastic activities and initiatives that have helped bring our school community closer together this term.
In an exciting initiative, our students have had the opportunity to connect with students from Kinma Primary School, strengthening community ties and promoting our school’s commitment to kindness. After a visit to Kinma, we were thrilled to host their students here at GISS. Our students were eager to show their new friends around, share their classrooms, and participate in collaborative activities. The reflection sessions were particularly interesting, as students discussed the similarities and differences between our schools and explored how diversity enriches our communities. This exchange is a beautiful demonstration of how building connections fosters understanding and inclusion.
Building Community Connections with Kinma Primary School
Kindergarten Excursion to Kimbriki Resource Recovery Centre
Our youngest Primary students recently embarked on an exciting excursion to Kimbriki Resource Recovery Centre. Here, they witnessed the magnitude of waste and recycling processes firsthand, observing the large-scale machinery used to manage our waste. The highlight of the day was an ecology workshop, which inspired our students to think about their role in waste management. Many came back motivated to implement changes within our school and their own homes. This valuable learning experience aligns with our ongoing commitment to sustainability and caring for our planet.
Rubbish on Campus – A Challenge from Herr Cordes
At our last Whole School Assembly, our Principal, Michael Cordes, addressed an important issue: the amount of rubbish accumulating on campus. He reminded students of their responsibility in maintaining a clean and welcoming environment for all. To make this a fun and engaging task, he set up a school-wide challenge! Each class has been given a special garbage bag to collect rubbish from the campus. The class that collects the most rubbish will earn a special prize from Herr Cordes himself! We encourage all students to take part and show pride in our school.
This term, our Stage 1 students have been exploring buildings and structures, focusing on castles, towers, and bridges. They have been learning how to design and construct these structures, ensuring they are strong and stable. To bring this learning to life, students will soon go on an exciting excursions to see some of Sydney's iconic buildings, including the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Barrenjoey Lighthouse, and Government House. We can’t wait for them to connect their classroom knowledge to these real-world structures!
Stage 1 Unit and Excursion: Castles, Towers, and Bridges
Our Senior Choir had the honour of participating in the annual IPSHA Performing Arts Festival at Sydney’s Historic Town Hall last week. This prestigious event brought together students from independent schools across New South Wales to showcase their musical talents. Our choir gave a stellar performance, representing GISS with pride and enthusiasm. The event was a fantastic opportunity for our students to perform in a grand setting and meet peers from other schools.
IPSHA Performing Arts Festival
End-of-Term Assembly – Parents Invited
We are delighted to invite all parents to our end-of-term assembly on Monday, 23rd September at 2:00pm in the Sports Hall. This will be a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the incredible learning and achievements of our students throughout Term 3. We hope to see you there!
Celebrating Book Week
This term, we celebrated Book Week, an annual event that encourages children to connect with literature. Our students dazzled us with their creativity during the Book Week Parade, dressing up as their favourite characters. Teachers also read aloud in English, German, and French, sharing the joy of books from different cultures. Throughout the week, students participated in literacy-rich activities that helped deepen their love for reading. Each student has received a “Book Recommendations” booklet, where they can discover new and exciting reads suggested by their teachers.
German Day – 25th September Mark your calendars!
On the 25th of September, we will celebrate German Day, a school-wide event where students will work in mixed-age groups on projects exploring various aspects of German culture. From food and music to art and drama, this day is set to be an enriching experience for all, as students immerse themselves in learning about Germany’s rich cultural heritage.
PISA Sport Initiative – Years 3 and 4
Our Year 3 and 4 girls’ soccer team has been making waves in the Peninsula Independent Sport Association (PISA) competition. Over two exciting Fridays, our team battled it out against John Colet School, resulting in a hard-fought draw and an impressive 4-1 victory in the rematch. The PISA competition is a fantastic opportunity for our students to showcase their talents beyond the classroom, building a strong sense of belonging and pride in representing GISS.
Thank you for your continued support throughout this busy term. We are proud of our students' achievements and look forward to more exciting events and learning opportunities ahead.
Warm regards,
upcoming events
Excursion to Kimbriki
Book Week Parade
Rachel Hennig / Head of Primary
12-16 August GISS-GrundschülerInnen besuchen die Kinma Schule
23-24 August GISS Weihnachtsmarkt
2-6 September SchülerInnen der Kinma Schule besuchen die GISS
11. September IPSHA PAF: Senior Choir tritt im Sydney Town Hall auf
10. und 12. September Happy Pics an der GISS
16.-20. September GISS Buchwoche
25. September Deutscher Kulturtag an der GISS
GISS Takes on John Colet School in thrilling soccer game!
On the 6th and 13th of September, our GISS Junior Girls Soccer Team hosted the John Colet School on campus for a round of friendly matches.
The GISS energy was high around campus and the girls valiantly showed their improving teamwork and understanding of soccer strategy. The first week saw a tightly contested match take place in unseasonal heat, resulting in a 4:4 draw. This high scoring affair left the girls hungry for a victory and they spent the week strategising ways to defeat the league-leading team in John Colet.
As the second match rolled around, the girls meant business, coming out powerfully for a 4:1 victory! This was truly a team win, with every player staying true to their position and offering encouragement from start to finish.
An amazing group effort making GISS proud!
Hugh Crundwell, Class teacher Year 3/4
giss vs JOHN COLET SCHOOL - ein spannendes spiel an der giss
Am 6. und 13. September empfing unsere GISS-Juniorinnen-Fußballmannschaft die John-Colet-Schule auf dem Campus zu einer Runde von Freundschaftsspielen.
Die Energie der GISS war auf dem ganzen Campus zu spüren, und die Mädchen zeigten tapfer ihr immer besseres Teamwork und ihr Verständnis von Fußballstrategie. In der ersten Woche fand ein hart umkämpftes Spiel statt, das mit einem 4:4-Unentschieden endete. Nach diesem torreichen Spiel waren die Mädchen siegeshungrig und verbrachten die Woche damit, Strategien zu entwickeln, um das führende Team von John Colet, zu besiegen.
Als das zweite Spiel anstand, machten die Mädchen ernst und siegten mit 4:1! Dies war ein echter Mannschaftssieg, bei dem jede Spielerin ihrer Position treu blieb und die Mannschaft von Anfang bis Ende anfeuerte.
Eine tolle Gruppenleistung, die die GISS stolz macht!
our SENIOR CHOIR shines AT THE 2024 IPSHA performing arts festival AT sydney TOWN HALL
On Wednesday 11th September, 42 GISS students performed in the annual IPSHA Performing Arts Festival in Sydney Town Hall. This was a gathering of nine independent schools from the wider Sydney region to celebrate music in a non-competitive setting; each school presents their own individual item, and all schools combined to play in a 100-piece symphony orchestra and a massed choir of over 350 voices.
GISS sang a Congolese song entitled Banaha, followed by Try Everything from Shakira; the latter was sung in the German language and the audience applause and feedback just wonderful! Eleven GISS students played in the symphony orchestra which opened the concert with the Australian national anthem and Habanera from Carmen, by Bizet.
All students involved worked tirelessly for months to prepare for the performance, rehearsing weekly and adding in extra practice times towards the end as well. They represented GISS with respect and style, and they can be extremely proud of their accomplishment. Congratulations to our Senior Choir and instrumentalists and thank you to the teachers and parents who supported them!
Janine Boubbov, Music teacher
& Class teacher Year 1/2
Am Mittwoch, den 11. September, traten 42 Schüler der GISS beim jährlichen IPSHA Performing Arts Festival im Rathaus von Sydney auf. Dabei handelt es sich um eine Zusammenkunft von neun unabhängigen Schulen aus dem Großraum Sydney, bei der Musik in einem nicht wettbewerbsorientierten Rahmen zelebriert wird; jede Schule präsentiert ihr eigenes Stück, und alle Schulen spielen gemeinsam in einem 100-köpfigen Symphonieorchester und einem Massenchor mit über 350 Stimmen.
Die GISS sang ein kongolesisches Lied mit dem Titel Banaha, gefolgt von Try Everything von Shakira; letzteres wurde in deutscher Sprache gesungen und der Applaus und das Feedback des Publikums waren einfach wunderbar! Elf Schülerinnen und Schüler der GISS spielten im Sinfonieorchester, das das Konzert mit der australischen Nationalhymne und der Habanera aus Carmen von Bizet eröffnete.
Alle beteiligten Schülerinnen und Schüler haben sich monatelang unermüdlich auf die Aufführung vorbereitet, wöchentlich geprobt und gegen Ende auch noch zusätzliche Übungszeiten eingelegt. Sie haben die GISS mit Respekt und Stil vertreten und können sehr stolz auf ihre Leistung sein. Herzlichen Glückwunsch an unseren Senior Choir und unsere Instrumentalisten und vielen Dank an die Lehrer und Eltern, die sie unterstützt haben!
unser SENIOR CHOIR glänzt beim 2024 performing arts festival in der sydney TOWN HALL
On the 28th of August, students represented GISS at the IPSHA Athletics Carnival at Sydney Olympic Park, competing against students from independent schools from across the state. In total, the event saw over 1500 individual athletes competing and our GISS athletes were nothing short of inspirational.
Every athlete gave their all across field and track events, while the day also saw amazing, positive teamwork and support. We had many students place highly in their heats with some even winning 1st, 2nd and 3rd place ribbons for their efforts. A special mention goes to our GISS cheer squad who despite their small numbers, most definitely were among some of the loudest spectators for the day. Go GISS!
ipsha athletics carnival
Hugh Crundwell, Class teacher Year 3/4
On the 6th of September - Friday the school parliament came together for a meeting. The school parliament consists of all the class captains from each grade, the school captains from Year 11 and12, the two liaison teachers, and of course the Principal. From now on, we have decided that we are going to meet once a month during lunch time to discuss matters that affect the school. In our most recent meeting, we covered topics like the fire drill and the lockdown that was conducted.
Another thing that has come to our attention is that bathrooms across the school aren’t at their cleanest, so we are asking the students to take extra care of keeping our bathrooms clean. On a positive note, the volleyball team for girls has come into action and we are hoping for more sport teams to form soon! We are all looking forward to German day which is on the 25th of September where students get to showcase their different thoughts on what they think is ‘Typisch Deutsch’.
We are all looking forward for a good spring break- to be back with extra energy in term 4!
Mishka A, Year 7
giss school parliament
