Dear Parents

A reminder:  Tomorrow is a school development day so children do not come to school.  We will see everyone on Tuesday 3 March.  (Monday is a public holiday.)

Open Night and student update forms

The school will be open next Tuesday 3rd March for the annual Open Night.  There will be a sausage sizzle and drinks for sale from 5.00pm.  Classes will be open from 6.00pm until 7.00pm.  Come to the school for a chat with teachers and see some of your children’s work. 

When you visit the classrooms, you will also be given your child’s contact update forms for you to check phone numbers, emergency contacts, your address etc.  If everything is correct, sign the back and return it to the teacher.  Alternatively, write the changes on the paper and we will update this on the computer.

Everyone who returns the form before Thursday 5th March 2020 goes into a draw for a prize.

Changing the School Development Day in Term 4

The new school development day is now Friday 6 November 2020 which is in Week 4 of Term 4.  It is not Monday 2 November 2020 as previously advised.  Children do not come to school on 6 November 2020.

The date has been changed to allow teachers from Years 3-6 to attend “Sounds-Write” professional learning.    The program is currently being used in the K-Year 2 classes and it is important that we extend it into the middle and upper years of the school.  “Sounds-Write” is a phonics program that helps children learn to spell, read and write. 

Faction Athletics and Interschool Athletics

The annual Faction Athletics Carnival is getting closer.  Please mark these dates in your diary:

We are planning to have all of the events at the school and a program will be sent out prior to the carnival.  If you have not purchased a faction t-shirt, now is the time to get that organised.   On the day of the carnival children need to bring their own recess and can order their lunch at the canteen.

The Interschool athletics is taking place on Wednesday 1stApril for the long jump and Friday 3 April for the running and team games.  We are competing against Beaumaris and Currambine primary schools.   The carnival is for Year 3 to 6 children only.  Information about who is in the team will be sent home in the coming weeks.

Clean Up Schools Day

We are participating in the Clean Up Schools Day on Friday 6thMarch 2020.  In the afternoon, everyone will come out of their classrooms and take some time for a cleaning blitz in a section of the school.  There is a poster competition and classes are talking about how to keep the environment clean.  The children are going to discuss the kinds of rubbish they have found in the school and how we can reduce and recycle our waste.  Once we are finished, everyone will enjoy an icy pole.

Parking around the school

Some things to remember:

• Follow the rules for Kiss and Drive. You need to stay in your car and be prepared to drive around the block if your children are not at the gate.  Information has been included with the newsletter.
• Don’t park across any driveways as the local residents need to have access to their houses.
• Don’t block access to the bins.
• Make sure you do not block the view of other drivers. Drivers should be able to check for oncoming traffic so that they can drive out.
• Watch out for children. Children are unpredictable and can easily run out between the cars.
• Once your children are in the car, leave the area so that next family can have your parking area. Do not stay at the school.

Be aware that enforcing the parking rules is not a school responsibility and any fines will come from the City of Joondalup.  If the ranger comes and checks parking they are able to issue on the spot fines.

As a school we have had and are continuing to have conversations with the Department of Education and Department of Finance to find a longer term solution.

Class news

Last Tuesday the children from Mrs Tucker and Mrs Lahti’s classes went to Native Animal Rescue Centre. 

Zane, Caden and Eshaal recounted the experienced to me:

“Yesterday we saw a baby possum which was so cute.  They are going to release it when it gets bigger.  We touched a snake and it was soft and smooth.  We weren’t allowed to touch the snake too close to its head.  We saw lots of owls.  We learnt that if a baby bird falls out of the nest we should pick it up with gloves and put it back in the nest, if it doesn’t have feathers.”

Student Behaviour

                       Be Respectful         Be Responsible           Be Safe

This fortnight’s focus is on play areas.

Being respectful means we are polite and well-mannered, include others in games, respect property and take pride in our school grounds. 

Being responsible means we report unsafe behaviour, help others when needed, move promptly to class when the siren goes, and resolve conflict with our words.

Being safe means we keep our hands and feet to ourselves, we talk to an adult about ‘big concerns’, and look out for others.