Welcome back!!
Term 2 has started a little bumpy but thankfully, we are all finding our groove! COVID continues to impact our school, and currently we have a few staff members out because of it. Our communication protocol will be to inform parents when a teacher has been affected by COVID and this communication will come directly from the teacher through Connect. As always, we ask parents to be aware of symptoms that their children may show. With masks no longer mandated in the school, infections may be more easily passed on. Students and staff who are close contacts may continue to attend school, however, they must be asymptomatic and testing negative daily. The wearing of masks is appreciated in this scenario.
This term, we welcome back Ms Leah Clegg into her substantive Deputy Principal position this term. Mrs Jenny Cole has returned to Room 11, Year 2, and Mrs Elena Adams has taken over Room 10, Year 2. We also welcome to the school, Mrs Felicity Wensinger who is working in Rooms 5 and 6 as a tandem teacher – on Mondays and Fridays. Our new School Chaplain, Rumbi Tsokota, has also commenced her role in our school. Rumbi works with us on Thursdays.
Assemblies
Under the new operating guidelines in Term 2, parents are invited into schools and full assemblies can go ahead. We are looking forward to resuming with these. Our first assembly this term will be Thursday May 19th, hosted by Room 10. You will find our planned assemblies on our updated Term 2 Planner.
ANZAC Commemoration
Last Thursday 28th April, we ran our ANZAC Service in a low-key way. Given that whole school assemblies were still not permitted, and that Mrs Jan Ruscoe had spent considerable time creating choir and anthem videos, we held our commemorative service with a simultaneous classroom-based service. The service was broadcast over the PA, led by the Student Leaders, and teachers and students followed along with the presentation. The feedback from teachers was positive, in that students treated the service like the real thing and showed respect through its duration.
Check out some of the amazing artwork done by our students to commemorate and recognise the ANZAC Story.
Roofing Project
We are back in the admin block, with just some flashings and fittings needing to be completed. There has been a slight delay with the junior block, with Room 18 being rehoused in the Science room last week and this week. Students returned to their classroom on Wednesday. The wet weather last week did not help! All new reverse cycle air conditioners have been installed into the junior block, however, a new electricity board has to be installed for all the new ACs to work. Hopefully, this will be completed before the cold weather really kicks in.
NAPLAN Commences
Next week, from Tuesday 10th May, our Year 3 and 5 students will be participating in NAPLAN tests. We have a two-week window to complete testing, and this allows us to catch up with any students who may be absent on the assigned test days.
NAPLAN assesses the literacy and numeracy skills that students are learning through the school curriculum and allows parents/carers to see how their child is progressing against national standards and over time. NAPLAN is just one aspect of a school’s assessment and reporting process. It doesn’t replace ongoing assessments made by teachers about student performance, but it can provide teachers with additional information about students’ progress.
Students are not expected to study for NAPLAN. You can support your child by reassuring them that NAPLAN is a part of their school program and reminding them to simply do their best. Having a calm and punctual start to the school day will benefit the students, as well as avoiding late nights.
Year 6 Winter Interschool Sport
Last Friday, our Year 6 students (with a bit of help from some Year 5s) commenced their Winter Interschool Sports. Students are involved in AFL, Football (soccer), Volleyball and Netball against primary schools in our network. You can check the fixtures on our Term 2 Planner. Parents are invited to come along and spectate, or even help if you have the time. Thank you to those parents who are already helping with training and umpiring!
2022 Premier’s Reading Challenge
Today, the 2022 Premier’s Reading Challenge was launched. Students from Kindergarten to Year 10 are invited to uncover great mysteries through the world of books and to sign up for the Premier’s Reading Challenge. The challenge is to log 12 or more book titles from May to 9th September 2022, and readers will go into the draw to win prizes. You can sign up on this website: Home – Premier’s Reading Challenge (premiersreadingchallenge.wa.edu.au)
Nicole Borbas
Principal
Two of our Year 4 students used similar principles to create Moving Machines, capable of moving an object on a platform up and down.
Well done Room 6!