‘Ignite your potential’ is the official theme of Public Education Week 2025.
Staff and students at Glen Innes Public School and Glen Innes High School have been very busy collaborating to showcase the incredible skill and talent that exists in our wonderful school communities.
The GIPS Choir and GIHS Band combined to perform at both the GIPS and GIHS Education Week assemblies and wowed the crowd with a lovely National Anthem and cover of the Missy Higgins song ‘Steer’. It is a credit to Miss Randall and Mr McKean for nurturing this collaboration and providing students with an opportunity to sing and perform together. Our GIPS Band, conducted by Mr Earl, opened the assembly with some well rehearsed and entertaining pieces and our Year 1 and Year 2 students performed a beautiful version of a Bruno Mars song called “Count on Me”, conducted by Mrs Knight.
Chess is a hot topic amongst our schools at present and was a hotly contested competition at the Chess Extravaganza. GIPS and GIHS, along with Emmaville Central School, battled it out in a round robin tournament. Mr Day, Miss Randall, Ms Bruce and Mr Rodwell ensured that the day was not just about winning. It was designed to give all students the opportunity to learn from one another and improve their game, to develop social skills, and push themselves to be a little outside their comfort zone.
GIPS Year 5 and Year 6 students visited GIHS for an Ag Challenge, Art Lesson and Orienteering Course. Year 5 student Luke M recounts the day “We went to high school and did an ag challenge. We moved hay bales, dug up potatoes and lassoed a plastic cow. We had recess at the High School and enjoyed buying from their canteen. It was a great day out!’ A very big shout out to Mrs Woods, Mr Miller, Ms Squires and Ms Clarke for organising creative and engaging activities for GIPS students to enjoy.
As part of every Education Week, we award special awards to celebrate and acknowledge the outstanding success of a small few. Congratulations to our 2025 students who were awarded these for consistent effort, self-motivation, and striving for personal growth: Oliver P, Maddison H, Tate E, Oscar P, Charlotte G, Eddie S, Kaeleigh C, Riley S and Amelia C.
We would also like to formally and publicly acknowledge and thank our community volunteers who selflessly give their time to share their expertise to students at GIPS, including: Mr Richard and Mrs Penny Clementson (for SRE and reading support), Mrs Sandra Kiehne (for reading support), Mr David Robinson (for Chess mentoring), Mr Gerry Dawson (for Chess mentoring) and Mr Gus Macrae (for Rugby League coaching and mentoring).
Public Education Week is a great opportunity for schools to open their doors, welcome parents, carers and community members, and showcase the incredible learning experiences that happen in our classrooms, on our sporting fields and wherever a learning opportunity might take us. We have truly enjoyed sharing Education Week with our community and highlighting the amazing work of our staff and students at GIPS and GIHS. A final thank you to Mrs Christine Dorward (GIPS Principal) and Mrs Natalie Hill (GIHS Principal) for their flexibility and support during Education Week. Their unwavering commitment to Public Education, their staff and students, enables everyone to ignite their potential, not only for Education Week, but every day.
