Today, Mrs Dunwoody shares two pieces of important news with the community.
This week the Junior School had its second Ormiston Spirit Awards Assembly for the year. This special award recognises students who exemplify the core values of CGGS – Hope, Courage, Commitment, Respect and Integrity. This award honours students who demonstrate these values in their daily lives within and outside the school, serving as wonderful role models for their peers.
Additionally, the assembly was not just about recognising individual achievements, it was also about celebrating the spirit of our unique CGGS Junior School community. Each school value contributes to creating and nurturing a school environment where every student can flourish and be encouraged to always do their personal best.
The Ormiston Spirit Awards recipients were:
Foundation – Alyssa Y
Year 1 – Ava L & Chelsea S
Year 2 – Isabelle C
Year 3 – Diyana A
Year 4 – Sarika M
Year 5 – Ajab Z & Evangaline H
Year 6 – Sienna T & Annabelle Z
Art – Manellie M & Kenolee H
PE – Ella C & Claire Z
Music – Agnes Y & Caroline C
Library – Alison T & Amelia L
STEAM – Olivia L
Chinese – Alina L & Tiffany C
French – Alessandra R
School Council
Congratulations to the following students who were elected by their classmates to represent them in our School Council for Semester Two:
Year 1W – Olivia Z
Year 1C – Asheli F
Year 2 – Elliana B
Year 3 – Chelsea G
Year 4 – Anshika S
Year 5S – Amber W
Year 5G – Kayla C
Sustainability Squad
Congratulations to the following students who were elected by their classmates to represent them in our Sustainability Squad for Semester Two:
Year 1W – Chelsea S
Year 1C – Lauren L
Year 2 – Harriet D
Year 3 – Eugenie L
Year 4 – Angela Z
Year 5S – Yilia Z
Year 5G – Evelyn Z
Year 6 – Sienna T & Annie S (Sustainability Leaders)
I would like to congratulate Theresa Wang of Year 4 for her recent achievements in the 2025 Lishui China International Roller Skating Open. She participated in a total of four events.
Once again, this year Theresa was the youngest participant and the only Australian athlete in Classic Slalom and Speed Slalom events. This was a memorable journey for Theresa as she had the opportunity to meet many of the top inline skaters in the world and build-up connections with them. All of Theresa’s experiences throughout the event have further strengthened her determination in the sport of inline skating (rollerblading). I know Theresa’s family is very proud of her and so are we at Camberwell Girls Grammar School. We wish Theresa all the best for her upcoming events in inline skating.
Paul Donohue
Head of Junior School
Over the past two weeks, the Early Learning (EL) 4 Part Time students have been working in collaboration with both the Senior School’s FROGGIES and the Junior School’s Sustainability Squad students to explore the journey of seasonal produce through a ‘farm to table’ lens.
Together, they’ve taken a hands-on approach in the garden: preparing soil, planting seeds, and carefully watering the beds in preparation for the Spring/Summer seasons. As part of the winter harvest, they’ve enjoyed collecting mature crops and transferring sprouting lettuces, which they’ll bring back to share with the Junior School community. This shared learning experience has deepened their understanding of where food comes from and the collective care it takes to grow it.
Further strengthening their partnership, the Junior School’s Sustainability Squad led and participated in a knowledge-sharing session with the EL students. Engaging in thoughtful discussions and creative experiences, the students explored the topic of endangered animals, in particular Victoria’s bird emblem, the Yellow Helmeted Honeyeater bird. They illustrated postcards to raise awareness and shared messages about the importance of protecting Australia’s wildlife, supporting all students in their growing environmental consciousness while fostering empathy and a sense of responsibility for the natural world.
Esther Wong
EL4 Teacher & EL Coordinator
Last week, the CGGS community celebrated Children’s Book Week with a variety of wonderful book-related activities and events. This year’s theme, Book an Adventure, encouraged students to explore new worlds, cultures, and experiences through reading. It empowered them to use their imagination, ask questions, and dream big—just like the characters they read about.
Our festival of books and reading included:
A huge thank you to all our visitors, wonderful staff, and our fantastic students and families for making Book Week such a memorable adventure!
Sally Spencer
Teacher Librarian
The Year 3 Chinese Heritage Class recently showcased students’ creativity and language skills through an engaging and interactive role-playing activity. Based on the story ‘The Elephant’s Ears,’ students collaboratively studied the text, memorised dialogues, and brought the characters to life through vivid performances.
This activity not only deepened the students’ understanding of the story but also improved their Chinese listening and speaking skills. Through the performance, they practised accurate pronunciation, improved their fluency, and gained confidence in using language in real-life situations. The class demonstrated outstanding teamwork and enthusiasm, bringing the story to life in a memorable way.
Cathy Yue
Chinese Teacher
Our Year 2 students had an exciting journey into Chinese language and culture. They listened to the story of Fei Shang Tian and then retold it in their own words, showing not only their understanding of the story but also their growing confidence in using Chinese. After enjoying the story, students worked through a set of engaging worksheets designed to help them practice comprehension and recall. They then explored new Chinese vocabulary related to the story, learning how to pronounce the words, write them, and use them in sentences.
Looking ahead, we will continue expanding our vocabulary with topics such as colour, furniture and animals. These units will come together later in the next term as students create their own mini storybooks in Chinese, combining pictures with simple sentences in pinyin. It promises to be a fun and creative way to celebrate everything they have learned.
Crystal Zhang
Chinese Teacher
Last week, the 68th Victorian Interschools Snowsports Championships were held at Mt Buller, attracting approximately 6,000 students from over 250 schools across the state. Competitors were treated to excellent snow coverage and three spectacular ‘bluebird’ days, with mild temperatures and clear, sunny skies showcasing the beauty of the Victorian high country.
This inclusive, multidisciplinary event provided a wonderful opportunity for CGGS students—Alicia J (Year 2), Caroline C and Aileen L (Year 4), and Nicole L (Year 5) to represent the school at a state level. Each student demonstrated persistence, skill and sportsmanship as they competed in a variety of races. It was particularly exciting to have two Ormiston snowboarders among our representatives, and all skiers raced with determination and pride.
Congratulations to Aileen, who advanced through to the Australian Interschools Snowsports Championships in the event, Snowboard Giant Slalom. We wish her well in her competition next week
Thank you to all our competitors for their enthusiasm and the way they proudly represented CGGS. Our heartfelt gratitude also goes to the families for their support and for embracing the Snowsports experience—it was truly a memorable week for all involved.
Angela Columbine
Year 1 Classroom Teacher
Term 3 is always an action-packed term as it is busy with many sport carnivals and this term was no exception. On Wednesday 21st August, an excited team of 42 students from Year 5 and 6 headed off to Lakeside Athletics Track for the annual GSV Track and Field Carnival. This is one of the biggest sport carnivals for the year and we had students participating in all track and field events with our biggest representation to date.
Once we arrived the students headed straight out onto the track to warm up with Mr Sartori leading them in a run around the track and then the students jumped into our first events for the day. There were many highlights on and off the track and it was wonderful to see our students supporting and cheering each other on so enthusiastically. Some of the honourable mentions for the day included:
Audrey C 6A 100m: 1st
Audrey C 6A 800m: 3rd
Audrey C 6A 400m: 1st
Laurynn D 5B 800m: 2nd
Isabella X 5/6 Long Jump: 1st
Isabella X 6B 100m: 2nd
Isabella X Year 6 Triple jump: 3rd
Angela W 6C high jump: 3rd
Elsa L: Year 5 triple jump: 3rd
Faye L Year 6 Long Jump: 2nd
Faye L 6A Hurdles: 1st
Michaelia C 5B Hurdles: 2nd
Michaelia C 5B 200m: 2nd
Alis C 6B 200m: 3rd
Year 6A 4 x 100m relay team: 2nd
Many of these students will also get the opportunity to represent CGGS at the upcoming District Athletics Carnival.
Congratulations to all students for their hard work in the lead up to the event as well as their efforts, attitude and enthusiasm on the day.
Kim James
Head of Health, Physical Education & Sport
This year we were again excited for our students to participate in the Kew Future Leaders Speech Competition, run by the Member for Kew, Jess Wilson MP. The competition required students to compose and present their “First speech to Parliament”, by sharing a three-minute speech for our community’s future. Students selected a local issue, explained why it exists, how to fix it and why it aligns to their values. Ten Year 6 students were then selected to develop more detailed speeches to present to Jess Wilson MP, worked diligently on their speeches with the support of Mrs Margaret Hall.
On Monday 18 August the selected 10 Year 6 students and one Year 11 student courageously and confidently presented their speeches in front of Years 5 and 6 and judged by Jess Wilson MP in our school’s heat of the competition. The students’ speeches were all outstanding, with students eloquently presenting well-reasoned and evidenced arguments for their selected issue. Issues presented by our students included providing local mental health and wellbeing support facilities, supporting families through cost-of-living measures, living our values of being useful in service and accessible transport to ease congestion and promote greater safety for residents going to and from school.
We were proud of all students’ and Ms Wilson was impressed with the high standard of all presentations. The results were:
Runner’s up: Alessandra R and Aadhya T
Winner: Audrey C
We congratulate Audrey and know that she will represent the school with pride in the inter-school finals held at the Parliament of Victoria next week.
Emma Hinchliffe
Deputy Head of Junior School
CGGS has a strong tradition of valuing quality singing. Our Junior School Choir educators, Renee Heron and Tim Mallis, provide engaging and dynamic learning experiences, with quality singing and musicianship as a core focus. The choir curriculum program encompasses weekly choir sessions that are sequential, developmental, and creatively designed. Each week in the Year Level Choir sessions, students learn and consolidate music skills, refine singing techniques and enjoy singing a wide range of songs.
Choir singing and the Kodály inspired methodology offer numerous benefits, impacting both musical and cognitive development, as well as social and emotional well-being. Singing in a choir enhances musical skills, improves memory, and fosters a sense of community. The Kodály method, which emphasizes singing-based learning, further develops musical literacy, intonation, rhythm skills, and even cognitive abilities like perceptual functioning and mathematical skills. Singing supports learning in every subject, alongside building confidence, teamwork and creativity.
Kate Savige and Rohan Mack
Directors of Music
Secondary School students fully embraced Book Week, proving that you're never too old to wear a costume.
The Junior School students lit up the dance floor at the Junior School Disco, and parents enjoyed a lovely Yum Cha Lunch with the PFA.
