As you walk through our Primary School, you will hear the buzz of active and engaged students on the road to lifelong learning. It’s a creative space, a safe place, for nurturing strong and capable children.

Term 3 has kept us all very busy and surprisingly most of our students are have stayed positive and resilient by successfully dodging the winter blues. Just to remind you of some of what we have been doing this term, I have highlighted the big ones!

For Lower Primary there has been a burst of activities such as:

  • Pre-Primary Grandparent’s day
  • Bunnings incursion in Kindy
  • Kindy Farm yard on wheels visit
  • Crazy sock day in Pre Kindy
  • PP to Year 2 Strings Concert
  • Year 1 Browns Dairy Excursion
  • Athletics Lower Primary Carnival
  • Drama Performance presented by the Middle School Drama class

Upper Primary it has been no different:

  • One Big Voice Choir performing at the Perth Arena
  • Annual Rock Band Concert
  • NIPSSA Cross Country
  • States Cross country (we came 2nd in the State!)
  • Athletics Upper Primary Carnival
  • NIPSSA Athletics Years 3 to 6
  • Author visits -with Morris Gleitzman and AJ Betts
  • Year 4 Fresh Food Tour excursion
  • Year 3 Lego Engineers incursion
  • First Lego League with Mayor of Wanneroo Tracey Roberts visiting
  • Tournament of Minds
  • Code Camp Hosted by the Primary School in the holidays  
  • Presenter Paul Litherland – Topic: Surf Online Safe
  • Year 4 Indonesian Boat Journey Project

Our combined Primary School Activities have also been:

  • Book Week Activities and Book Week Parade
  • Peter Moyes Day Celebrations
  • Swimming Lessons
  • Father’s Day K to 6 - Morning for all Dads
  • Charity Day with theme – ‘wear your favourite team’s colours’
  • Shared Reading
  • Visitors from Surabaya
  • Indonesian Languages Week activities

Excitingly, the Primary School has been engaged in discussions with Edith Cowan University (ECU) to explore the concept of Internships with University Student placements with their top performing students assisting in various classrooms as part of their training.  ECU is very keen to partnership with us because our pedagogy (which is the ‘how’ we teach) which aligns with what they are teaching in their University Courses. We are now being recognised for our excellence in this area and this is certainly something we as a community should celebrate.

Additionally, we have also been recognised in a publication developed by the Association of Independent Schools of Western Australia (AISWA) and Edith Cowan University in a partnership project called AMPLIFY – a number of staff were part of the writing of this and have a chapter that will be included, this will be launched later next term. Recent feedback from ECU has been that they are thrilled with the movement of our innovations and word is getting out about the great work we are doing!

With the recent launch of the IGNITE Awards, we are excited to announce that 14 students have already signed up for either Level One and Two. The Ignite Award is a challenging program of discovery for young people aged 10 – 14 and provide a framework to learn valuable skills, assist others in the community and experience adventures. It is a great tool for young people to transition into secondary school and fosters positive self-development and leadership skills. If you are interested in enrolling your child into Ignite Awards, then either contact Mrs Nicole Brown or please click on the link for the Ignite website to register:

https://www.awardswa.org.au/doing-an-award/ignite-award/start-your-ignite-award/

Furthermore, a new programme called Lexia has been introduced as part of our reading program this year with the results exceeding our expectations. This program covers many of the literacy components and prepares students to also transfer these skills into their writing. The program will continue to be available for students to access over the Christmas holiday period. This has been a collaborative project with the Learning Support Team and the classroom teachers and services the needs of each student by catering for their individual needs.

A big warning over the holidays, some parent education re You Tube!

I am just wanting to highlight to you as parents with holidays coming up, to be extra vigilant with the supervision of your children on devices at all times.  Here is a link to an informative site for parents that supports parents with ensuring the You tube Kids settings are set up as best as they can be. This site also offers video courses for parents to keep up with emerging gaming apps and social media antics. Well worth a read!

https://code9parent.com.au/blog/55834/3-tips-to-keep-safe-on-youtube-kids

Please save these dates:

•The next Learning Journey has been scheduled for Week 3, 28th October. We welcome you to come and explore our School and the possibilities we present to every child. We would like you to become involved as parents in investigating how your child learns.

• Connect, Learn Engage – Presenter Claire Orange – ‘Brave Parenting’ Week 2 Wednesday 23rd October

• Author Talk for Parents – Presenter Natasha Lester, Week  4, Thursday 7th November

Can I thank you for all your support this term in helping the Primary School tick along smoothly and especially in keeping up with all the busyness our School life brings. Thank you to our many parent helpers who so willingly assist in the various patches of the Primary School, your assistance is invaluable! I also want to thank my hard-working staff who endeavour and strive keep the joy of learning alive with the students under their care.

As we close another chapter in the life of the Primary School for Term 3, I trust that you and your precious family have a well-earned break from the school routine, and you all return to back to our School Community for great finish to the year.

Blessings and peace,

Mr Roderick Wood, Associate Principal - Primary School