School Newsletter 9 March 2022

Welcome to the first edition of the School Newsletter in 2022. I especially welcome families new to Peter Moyes Anglican Community School who are joining us for the first time this year. I am sure that you will find our school to be an inclusive, vibrant, and supportive community.

2021 WACE Results

Results for our 2021 Leavers were released in December with some pleasing results. Most importantly, over half of the eligible cohort gained an ATAR ranking of 80 or more, with one third of the group gaining an ATAR of 85 or above. The School’s Median ATAR maintained its recent historic score of over 80, at 81.10, a very pleasing result. Each year the School recognises those students who have achieved an ATAR of 95 or higher. Students who achieve this mark have their name immortalised on the ‘95 Club Honour Board’ in the Doug Swingler Building. In 2021, eight students, approximately 15% of our ATAR Pathway students, met this benchmark.

While these results are impressive, the School continues to focus on our Teaching and Learning processes to maximise the opportunities for all students to be successful. At PMACS, we pride ourselves on providing clear pathways for students to achieve success and realise their goals. In 2021, 40% of our Year 12 cohort participated in a non-ATAR pathway. This included options such as School Based Traineeships, General Courses, Workplace Learning, and ECU UniPrep, or a combination of these opportunities. Our key focus is ensuring that students are in the most suitable pathway to achieve their goals and we will always work closely with students and parents to achieve this outcome. Across 2022 we will be reviewing all aspects of our Pathway offerings to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our community. I look forward to sharing the findings of the review with you in due course.

School Ball

Our Year 12 students had a wonderful time at their Ball, held at Joondalup Resort on Saturday 12 February. I commend the Head of Year 12, Mrs Hiotis, and the members of the School Ball Committee for their considerable contributions in making the evening a success. The students were immaculately dressed, well behaved and respectful, with everyone enjoying the hospitality provided. All done of course in line with Covid-safe restrictions! It was wonderful to see our staff, students and invited guests engaging with each other on the night and enjoying such a special evening! We look forward to sharing more special moments over the course of this year with our graduating class of 2022.

Aboriginal Artworks

In 2021 the School applied for a Special Mission Fund to obtain grant funding to add a series of Aboriginal artworks to our campus. I am pleased to report that our application, submitted by the Dean of Students PK-6, Mrs Nicole Brown, was successful. In the latter part of 2021, the School engaged a local Noongar artist, Jade Dolman, to design some potential options. Over the summer break, Jade worked to finalise three pieces, with one located near the Bush Tucker Garden, one opposite the Pre-Primary classrooms and another one in the Tempat Tenang Courtyard. The works were completed in early February and have added a real vibrancy to the respective areas. The final step will be to reshape the gardens that are in close proximity to each painting, utilising native species where possible. We look forward to showcasing these magnificent artworks when restrictions ease.

Staff News 

Staff returned to work on Monday 24 January, and we welcomed several new teachers with a formal service followed by a whole of staff meeting. The meeting was a great opportunity to refocus all staff on our key values and mission. I hereby formally welcome to the School, the following staff members:

Primary

Amanda Chila - Primary School Teacher
Rajvi Shah - Primary School Teacher
Claire Corkery - Primary School Teacher

Secondary

Adrian Bandy - Secondary Mathematics Teacher
Matt Carstens - Secondary HPE Teacher
Alexandra Dodd - Secondary HaSS Teacher
Linda Henn - Secondary Receptionist
Cathlin Jakovcevic - Secondary Receptionist
Alida Kempen - Secondary English Teacher
Irene Killow - Secondary CRL Teacher
Stefania La Macchia - Secondary Food Science and Textiles Teacher
Alexia Leone - Secondary English Teacher
Ellie Lyons - HPE Trainee
Cynthia Moffat - Secondary Chemistry Teacher
Jackie Oxenbury - Executive Administration Officer
Raymond Rofa - Secondary Technologies Teacher
Keegan Suttie - Secondary HaSS Teacher
Tanya Thorp - Head of Learning Diversity Secondary

Returning Staff 

Larry Parkes – Secondary HaSS Teacher / Careers & Pathways Co-ordinator
Alan Rourke – Secondary Maths Teacher / Durack House Leader
Rebecca Hocking – Primary School Teacher
Amanda Robinson – Primary School Teacher

Peter Moyes Anglican Community School is looking forward to the valuable contribution that our new and existing staff will make in 2022 and beyond.

In concluding, I would like to thank our community for their ongoing support during such challenging times. As always, the health and safety of our students and staff remains our highest priority. Rest assured that we will maintain regular communication with our community through email, our Facebook page, and School App. In addition, all COVID-19 Protocol Updates are posted on our website.

Every Blessing.

Benjamin Lomas
PRINCIPAL

I trust you have all had a great summer and enjoyed some quality time with loved ones. A warm ‘welcome back’ to our existing families, and a very warm welcome to those families who have joined our School community this year. I send my best wishes as we begin 2022 bravely. When returning to School this year, I prepared my presentations for staff and students, and I was hoping that things would be normal. Unfortunately, it seems that the pandemic isn’t quite finished with us yet. We have had to quickly pivot, change our plans, and have had to head online for meetings and assemblies. I really want to thank my Primary staff and leadership team for their outstanding management of the processes and new systems that we have had to put in place. Hopefully, we will continue to minimise the impact of Omicron on our community.

While our first five weeks of this term will be a time of caution and continued adherence to COVID rules, I am really looking forward to normalising things as much as possible. Although I was hugely disappointed that our Year 6 and Year 4 camps have been cancelled, we have managed to find some spaces later in the year so, fingers crossed, these will still happen.

We have had a smooth start to the year, and it has been a joy to see so many healthy, smiling and positive faces as the children walk through the doors each morning. Thank you for your contributions this encouraging start to the school year, in spite of changing COVID-19 protocols. The support from our School community has been wonderful.

Based on the most recent information advising schools to limit in-school gatherings of students and staff to cohort groups or small groups within a year level, and to seek alternatives to whole school activities, Schools have been asked to conduct meetings with parents via phone, Zoom or email and to limit adults in the classrooms to school staff only. This has been quite tough on the teachers who do rely on and greatly appreciate parent support in order to implement some programs.

In the last couple of weeks many of you have taken up the opportunity to speak with your child’s/children’s teacher. This is highly recommended so that you can touch base on anything that you feel your child’s teacher should know to allow for the best success possible for the year ahead. This is your opportunity to advocate for your child in what works best or what doesn’t work. We really do desire effective two-way communication between School and home throughout the year to kick-off strongly and to give you the confidence that your child’s teacher is aware of everything that they need to know.

Finally, thank you to all for wearing masks when you have been on the school grounds. Together we will continue to do everything we can to keep our community safe, healthy and happy. Some of you may have noticed that I have been conspicuous in my absence due to recent shoulder surgery. I will be working from home next week and will return when I can drive or Uber in to work. The Staff, in my absence, have been serving the School brilliantly well and I am so proud that they all step up when needed.

Let us continue to keep our Primary School a happy place, despite what is happening around the world!

Roderick Wood
Associate Principal – Primary 

It has been wonderful to see our students settle into the various changes of a secondary model from the sub-school model that we have had over the years.

The benefits of a longer teaching Period of 64 minutes each has seen our students gain greater focus and depth in their learning. Fewer movements during the day between Periods has provided the opportunity of fewer distractions. It has meant that students are more organised for two classes in a block  before a break of recess or lunch. 

In my visits to many classes so far this year, I have seen the majority of students engaged in their lessons, knowing what it is that they are learning and what it is that they need to do to progress in their course. These are sign-posted in SEQTA through the Learning Intentions and Success Criteria that their teachers indicate for lessons. 

Learning Intentions are what our students are expected to know, understand and do as a result of learning; and Success Criteria is what our students will do to demonstrate that they have met and achieved the learning intention.

A main focus this year for the School is for effective feedback to be provided for the student from the teacher; and for the teacher from the student for tasks and processes in each course. The School enters into is second year of using Visible Learning to improve student learning outcomes. Our teachers are continually learning about the vast resources and research of Visible Learning. So too are our students. You will see their feedback for upcoming and on completed assessments. Please take time to discuss their feedback. The Success Criteria is the way that your child will use their time to further improve their learning. 

Peter Moyes is engaged on the Visible Learning journey and continues to use the evidence from Visible Learning research to enact the process of long-term change. Our focus is to ensure that all students learn. Expectations continue to be communicated so that our students accept the challenge of learning.

You are invited as parents of a Peter Moyes student, to enter the Visible Learning journey with us. Discuss with your child how they are progressing in their courses and how they can use the success criteria to improve on their next steps in their learning. Learning is the focus for every student at Peter Moyes and we all share in the responsibility of ensuring our students progress each year with a clear understanding of what is required. 

Associate Principal - Teaching and Learning Secondary School

Natalie Shaw

Due to a move towards a secondary structure in the School, the start of the school year looked quite different this year, with all students in the secondary school coming in for an Orientation Day. Students across the year levels were engaged in a variety of activities and guest speakers to start the year in a positive way, with collaboration and cohesion in their House Connect groups.

Year 7
Students continued their focus on transition to Secondary School that began on Transition Day last November with new students joining in! Year 7s had a welcome chapel, went on a tour around the School, meeting key staff and completing several fun games and tasks to get to know each other, their House Connect Tutors and find out more about Peter Moyes and also their House Patrons - Betty Cuthbert, Mary Durack, Howard Florey, Fred Hollows and Vincent Lingiari.

Year 8
The focus for Year 8 students was goal setting for the year, using SEQTA to set clear academic goals and also recap on the Learning @ Home work that was implemented last year. In addition, they played sport in Houses, commenced some leadership work and also listened to a presentation by Paul Litherland – Western Australian of the Year 2022 – on how to ‘Surf Online Safely’, building on his work with the students last year. https://www.surfonlinesafe.com.au/
 
Year 9
Year 9s had a very busy day focussing on protective behaviours commencing with a presentation for the third year from Paul Litherland, building on their capacity to ‘Surf Online Safely’ https://www.surfonlinesafe.com.au/ They also welcomed Jade Lewis to the School, an acclaimed author and reformed heroin addict whose upbringing gave no hint as to what lay in store for her and her parents in her teenage years https://www.jadelewis.com/
 
Year 10
New laptops were the highlight of the day for Year 10 students, in addition to receiving a presentation from Red Frogs on ‘Identity’. Sponsored by the Allen’s lollies of the same name, we work with this organisation across the senior secondary years. Their website has information for parents at https://redfrogs.com.au/information-for-parents for anyone interested.

Year 11
The focus in Year 11 was on the academic year ahead. Following a welcome Chapel and general administrative duties, they listened to a presentation from ‘Mastermind’, an educational provider who can offer holiday study programmes, deeper understanding of subject content and also tutoring. Information for parents can be found at https://www.mastermindaustralia.com.au/ They also had a workshop on setting SMART goals and spent time with a focus on their chosen ATAR or General pathway.

Year 12
Year 12 students had a very hands-on day, engaging with Total Team Building in a variety of team building games and constructing children’s bikes in groups. The students built 16 children’s bikes and then donated them, with helmets, to Anglicare for disadvantaged children in the local community. We thank Zack, from Anglicare for taking the time to come in and explain to our students just how important the bikes would be for the young people receiving them – the first of which were receiving them the very next day! 

Parents attended the Year 12 Chapel Blessing on January 28 marking the first official day as Senior School students for 2022. Following a lovely service by Reverend Schroeder, the cohort were formally presented with the unveiling of their Leavers Jacket. A student committee led by the Head of Year were actively involved in the entire design process from concept to final product. Students were surveyed for updates and tweaks to the final design to ensure student voices were best represented. The results speak for themselves. The jackets are furthermore significant this year as they are made from 95% recycled bottles, keeping the students stylish all year round and sustaining an eco-friendly environment through its production.

The Year 12 cohort participated in a much-anticipated Charity Bike Build as part of their Day 0 return to school on January 31, marking the commencement of their first day as Seniors in the Secondary School. The rewarding momentum of the day was an incredible experience for all involved. The students engaged in various challenges among 16 teams to compete in constructing children’s bicycles that would be donated through Anglicare to families in the community. Zach Leach, the Corporate Relationships Manager at Anglicare provided an insightful presentation about ‘Young Hearts’, a domestic violence counselling service for children, dedicated to breaking the cycle of family and domestic violence. The 16 masterfully engineered bicycles from the hands of our capable students were delivered to a spate of families in proceeding days, making a significant and positive impact on many young lives. All the families expressed gratitude for the generous gesture of the Peter Moyes community. No less were our students personally touched knowing they had brought much happiness to children in less fortunate circumstances than their own. The fundraising undertaken by the cohort throughout 2021 contributed to the activities on the day, making the Service Learning and the ‘experience of giving’ more worthwhile.

Some of the feedback from our students highlights the value of the memorable experience:

• Really eye opening and allowed us to work as a team towards a common goal.
• It was a valuable experience that I think encompassed the values of the school which in conjunction meant it was a great introduction into the school year. It made for not only a physically memorable experience but and emotionally memorable one as well.
• The charity bike build brought everyone together, due to the long time apart over the school holidays and got everyone in a good mindset to commence school the following week.
• To begin our graduating year in teams with our peers who we neglected to get to know over the last few years was a good opportunity to create positive bonds over a charity that we will remember for a long time.
• Brought us together with people who we may not be as close with and got to have a good laugh with them.
• Made you more aware of other world problems.
• The staff and members knew what they were doing and were enthusiastic.
• It was a good experience which made me aware of the less fortunate children in the community that I live in and share with them.
• I liked building the bike and the challenges before it, especially knowing that it was going to go to someone in need.
• I liked contributing to a good cause.

Understandably the first two weeks of Year 12 were a little distracted with students focussing on the important stuff such as hairstyles, makeup appointments, matching colours of corsages to dresses in anticipation of the much-awaited School Ball. The excitement consumed us all, and I think the teachers would agree it was all that most of us talked about as the countdown to our night of glitz approached!

As Covid case numbers increased in Perth, so too did the number of us panicking and hoping that our Ball would still go ahead! Bright and early Saturday morning the excitement was bubbling with everyone rushing to appointments to get ready for our magnificent event that was our rite of passage- celebrating a glorious developmental stage of our formal schooling. The girls commenced glamming up from as early as 9am, although I bet some of the boys didn’t even shower until half an hour before their pre parties started! Regardless of the degree of preparation, we presented punctually at 6:30pm at Joondalup Resort, ready and raring for our night to beat all nights! Everyone looked very grown up and runway ready according to our Glitz and Glam theme. 

As the doors welcomed us in at 7pm, we walked through the crystal and rose adorned archway along the plush red-carpet into the Lakeview Ballroom awash with mixed tones of gold, silver, black & red. We entered mesmerized and bedazzled by the jewelled table centre pieces and grand chandelier as the focal point of the Ballroom draped with ceiling silks and fairy lighting. We sat down at our allocated tables and continued to compliment each other on how amazing we all looked, especially against the dramatic backdrop that was to set the scene of our incredible evening ahead.

We were fortunate to have an amazing banquet buffet that was soon depleted! It wasn’t long after our meals settled that we hit the dance floor moshing to Dizzee Rascal. We spent most of the night dancing, lifting our friends into the air, and only stopping for photos and delicious desserts. The evening was filled with laughter, singing, dancing, and memories that we will treasure forever, as we didn’t want the night to end. 

On behalf of the Year 12 cohort, the “Crew of ’22”, we would like to thank everyone who made our glamourous night possible and for the teachers that attended. Finally, and especially, a big thanks to the incredible Mrs Hiotis for all her immense effort that went into the preparation of our School Ball. We admire your dedication, care, and commitment to us as a cohort. You made our night the most special night to remember that we will continue to treasure as an elegant and magical memory. It couldn’t have happened without you and all your time and effort, so from the bottom of our hearts... we thank you again.

Olivia Williams (Head Girl 2022)

Executive Function Skills

Executive function skills are skills that help a student to navigate and meet expectations of school and life. In Secondary School, there is often an assumption that students have mastered executive function skills however, without explicit direction and training in these skills, students are often unprepared and this can lead to increased levels of anxiety, a failure to perform to the best of their ability and ultimately to increased levels of disengagement. Please see below for a basic overview of executive function skills.

At Peter Moyes Anglican Community School, we recognise the need to explicitly assist students in developing executive function skills. We have developed an Executive Function Programme that includes a variety of practical and interactive workshops for student/parent groups and student only groups; a one-to-one intervention programme for students at risk and a special approach to home learning designed to build capacity throughout secondary years beginning in Year 7. Through this programme students are empowered to take ownership of their learning in a guided, strategical manner that embodies a growth mindset.

 
Planning and Organisation
In Week 1 this term, we delivered a series of practical and interactive Planning and Organisation Workshops to Year 8 parents and students. Parents and student groups worked together to develop term planning documents and personalised study planners for use Term 1. Evidence based research that shows that effective organisation and planning is essential to achievement. Effective and efficient planning and organisation skills often don’t come naturally to students so need to be explicitly modelled and reinforced, at school and at home, to assist students in reaching their full potential. Parents and students who participated in the workshop left armed with personalised working documents for planning and organisation that can be implemented immediately. Thank you to all who attended, we hope you found the workshops worthwhile.

Learning @ Home
With Year 7s preparing to begin the “Learning @ Home” process in Week 3, all Year 7 parents and students were invited to participate in our next series of interactive workshops. These workshops focused on our approach to homework in Year 7 which is called “Learning @ Home”. This approach has been designed to assist and empower students in developing sound learning skills by incorporating explicitly guided daily routines into their independent work at home. The approach is based on students learning how to effectively review, recall and reflect on daily learning in Maths, English, Science and HaSS with the aim of combatting “The Forgetting Curve” (Ebbinghaus, 1885) through structured independent recall and reflection. Please see below for greater detail.

Unfortunately, we only had the opportunity to work with the first of five groups of parents and students before increased Covid restrictions were put in place. To compensate for this, a portal was created to allow access to the PowerPoint and associated materials for parents and students to access and work through, and a more robust plan of support has been devised to assist students with the implementation of the Learning @ Home process at school. When restrictions are lifted, the workshops will be rescheduled so that we can work with Year 7 parents and students to explicitly demonstrate the Learning @ Home process and provide information on the rationale for this process.

Grainne Barber
Executive Function Coordinator

On Tuesday 15 and Thursday 17 February, the Year 12 and Year 7 and Year 8 - 11 students participated in a significantly modified Inter-House Swimming Carnival due to the current Covid-19 restrictions. Despite many Schools in the local area cancelling their Swimming Carnivals, it was an amazing effort by all PMACS staff for the carnivals to go ahead. 

Although, quite strange at the beginning of the day with minimal students and staff in the stands, the days were filled with fun, participation and competition. 

Year 7 – 12 Individual Championship Winners

Congratulations to all students for their efforts on both days. However, special recognition must go to the following students on the following School records broken:

Sophia Tarman (Year 11 Durack):
50m Butterfly: 31.61 sec

Thomas Prowton (Year 11 Florey):
50m Freestyle: 25.58 sec
100m Freestyle: 56.33 sec
50m Backstroke: 28.36 sec
50m Breaststroke: 33.44 sec

Charlotte Ericksen (Year 12 Cuthbert):
50m Freestyle: 28.82 sec
100m Freestyle: 1.03.09 sec
50m Backstroke: 32.68 sec
50m Breaststroke: 40.51 sec

Thank you to the staff, students and Year 11 and 12 Certificate II Sport Coaching and Sport and Recreation helpers, for all your efforts.
 
Sarah Branley
Acting Head of Health and Physical Education

On Friday 18 February our Year 12 Outdoor Education students headed down to Hillarys Yacht Club with the hopes of passing their practical assessment and achieving their Recreation Skippers Ticket. Students begun by completing the RST Theory test one week prior in which involved multiple lessons of content delivery to gain the necessary knowledge to complete both theoretical and practical requirements of the course. At Hillarys, the students were tested on their ability to manoeuvre and land a boat safely, pick up a man overboard and do all the necessary safety checks and passenger briefings. To the students' credit, all participants were successful on the day and received their Recreational Skippers Tickets. Congratulations to all students on their efforts and thank you to Hillarys Yacht Club for providing our students the opportunity to achieve their RST Qualification.

Mr Cameron Fannon

There is a lot of creative work being produced in Visual Arts Secondary at present:

Year 7s – investigating the artwork of the Central Western Desert communities.

Year 8s – creating ‘Doodle Art Posters’ on the theme of Robots vs Zombies

Year 9s – skulls and roses galore! The Year 92D students have been painting still life pictures of skulls and Year 93D are designing Mexican ‘Day of the Dead’ style clay pots and tealights.

Year 10s – more skulls – designing stencil prints for tote bags and T-shirts, influenced by tattoos and skulls.

Year 11s – are working on exploring the theme of ‘Strength and Fragility’ in their clay sculptures.

Year 12s – investigating all things related to our ‘Food’ theme.

This year’s Term 4 Exhibition planning is already underway and is going to look fantastic!!

The Year 10 Photography students have been busy building their Digital Portfolios on the theme ‘Alternative Views’. Students have experimented with camera angles, reflections, macro shots and adjusting manual settings to show alternative views of the School grounds.

Photos by:

Eloise Powell

Alice Arnold

Alyssa Konowalow

Emily Mortimore

Indonesia is our next-door neighbour and as we know, Darwin is closer to Denpasar (Bali) than it is to Melbourne!! Young Australians must learn to engage in the global community, particularly with our neighbours in the Indo-Pacific region (Alice Springs Declaration) and building Australia’s friendship with Indonesia starts at School.

We are privileged that here at Peter Moyes Anglican Community School, all students from Pre-Primary to Year 8 are learning Indonesian. This year,  more than 1,100 students at our School are studying the language, making it the largest Indonesian language program in Western Australia (and possibly Australia).

It is evident from the moment you set foot on the campus and see its bilingual signage that language learning is an integral part of the School. Secondary students are enjoying the use of the thoroughly engaging new learning spaces, especially with the latest addition of our ‘Indogram’ Selfie Photo Booth, courtesy of  the Modern Languages Teachers Association 2021 Principal’s award in recognition of the commitment and support to the language program at the School.

Students from Year 9, 10 and 11 who have selected Indonesian as an elective have taken the opportunity of adorning authentic Indonesian clothing and taking their photos in the ‘Indogram’ Selfie Booth. Please visit us if you would like to do the same! Our classroom is located in front of the Secondary reception.

I take this opportunity to say Terima kasih (thank you) for your support in your child’s second language learning journey.

Let’s picture a better future – one where our young students know each other and have a deeper understanding about who – and where-they are. Getting to know our neighbours could be just the beginning.
 
Maya Swailes
Head of Languages

 

We would like to wish all PMACS students that are taking part in the State Teeball Championships over the long weekend the best of luck. Games are being held on Saturday and Sunday with presentations on Monday.

We know PMACS is very well represented. Some students we know are participating are:

Arley Turbutt, Amelia Castle, Matthew Castle and Flint Wheeler - U9s

Noah Turbutt - U13s

Good luck to all!

In February three Year 7 students competed at Surf lifesaving State qualifiers in Mullaloo. They were all successful in the qualifying rounds and will now progress to the WA State Championships in Scarborough, March 18 -20. We wish them well in the State Championships.

Congratulations to:

Brady Fulcher - Mullaloo SLSC

Corey Harrison - Mullaloo SLSC

Chanel Martin - Quinn’s Mindarie SLSC

Over the summer break, Thomas Ashurst from 5.2 took part in the WA Marathon Club New Years Eve run. It was 4.5km from the club, past Optus Stadium and around the Goongoongup Bridge. Thomas came in at 7th place in the Junior (under 16's) age category. He also beat his dad by approximately 3 minutes. Congratulations Thomas. 

Peter Moyes ACS subscribes to ParentTV, an online parenting platform that includes hundreds of on-demand videos and courses to support the parenting of children from birth to teens.

Feel more confident and connected with access to reliable advice on a wide range of topics from Australia and the world’s leading parenting and educational experts.

You can now access reliable advice on a wide range of topics from leading parenting and educational experts in Australia and beyond, all in one place.

Please go to www.parenttv.com/membership and enter the school code ‘moyes’. From here you will be able to set up an account.

So… you have created an account and not sure where to start?
Parent Topics – short videos for parents
Child Topics – short videos for parents and children on some of those difficult topics that you might need help with answering
Activities – a range of fun activities for young children
Courses – series of videos for parents on particular topics
Experts – videos for parents arranged by expert
Blogs – weekly blogs on a range of parenting topics
Ask an Expert – your opportunity to ask your question directly to the experts
Search – type in a topic and all posts relating to it will appear

https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=551921925980489

Will your child be too soft and sensitive if you choose attachment parenting? A lot of parents are concerned that if they approach this type of parenting their child won't be ready for the 'big world'. In this short Video Dr Vanessa Lapointe explains that this is not the case. 

https://parenttv.com/blog/building-the-skills-for-good-mental-health

We see a lot of research and attention around mental health which is so important. A lot of children between ages 4-17 experience a mental health condition and it's imperative we continue to become aware of this issue. An important question is what can we do to help with our children's mental health? Read this blog to learn more!

Parenting can be joyful and fulfilling, but it can also be challenging and stressful. Join us at our Parent Seminar to learn about ADHD and coexisting learning difficulties, emotions, behaviours, and the diagnosis and treatment of ADHD.

Where: The Boulevard Centre | 99 The Boulevard, Floreat

When: Saturday 26th March | 9:00AM to 1:00PM (registration opens at 8:30AM)

Tea and coffee will be provided on arrival, and morning tea will be provided during the break. At the end of the session, there will be a panel question and answer session.

ADHD WA Membership

When you join the ADHD WA community, our collective voice gets a little louder.

The more members we have, the stronger our voice becomes for advocacy and change at a local, state, and national level.

As a fully-fledged member, you actively help shape the direction, management, and operations of our organisation. You can also enjoy a number of member-only benefits.
If you would like to attend the support group and are not yet a member, you can become an ADHD WA member here.

This article is republished as the issue of vaping seems to be gaining momentum for young people. 

Each year, Paul Dillon speaks to the secondary students in Year 10 – 12 about the dangers of vaping, while advertisements like the one on the left are seen online and on social media platforms including TikTok. While it is illegal to sell e-cigarettes to under 18s, it is obvious that these products are readily available to our young people online. All they need to do is click on the ‘Yes, I am 18’ and they are allowed into websites to make purchases.

The key difference for young people is that the e-cigarettes sold legally to adults do not contain nicotine, each JUUL pod, the world’s most popular vaping product, contains the equivalent nicotine concentration of a packet of tobacco cigarettes. 

While the School maintains a zero-tolerance policy towards buying, selling, swapping, sharing, giving, or using vaping products, it is important to ensure our young people are aware that, not only are there potential health risks, but they are also contributing to the enormous wealth, power and influence of the international tobacco lobby.

Marlboro have invested $13bn in JUUL, produced with flavours that include watermelon, mango, and peach, clearly the manufacturers of these products are targeting adolescents, knowing that this is the period in the human lifecycle of greatest experimentation and propensity to addiction. Meanwhile, in 2019, the CEO of cigarette company Philip Morris, Andre Calantzopolous, earned an annual income of over $US16mn. In recent years young people have avoided smoking tobacco cigarettes, so these companies are turning to vaping, to addict young people to their dangerous and potentially deadly products.

‘Puff Bars’ are a significant competitor for JUUL and market a flavour called ‘OMG’, a blend of Orange, Mango and Guava. Puff Bar is a compact and disposable vape device. They also contain high levels of nicotine and are made with flavours including strawberry, café latte, banana ice, watermelon, and tangerine, whilst denying their desire to attract and addict a young adolescent market. 

‘The Vaping Fix’ is a podcast following the story of James Monsees and Adam Bowen, two Stanford University graduate students, who have an idea that they believe could save millions of lives and rid the world of smoking. The goal is personal: they are both smokers. But even good intentions can have unintended consequences. If you are interested, it can be listened to here: https://wondery.com/shows/the-vaping-fix/

Paul Dillon also has information for parents and young people on his website: http://darta.net.au/

 

A message from WA Police:

Happy New Year to all.  It is hard to believe that 2022 is upon us already and I’m sure you are aware we are about to face yet another challenging year in many aspects. One huge issue is going to be a lack of Traffic Wardens to operate our crossings, due to many retiring at the end of 2021.

Another road block is due to the ongoing issues with Covid-19, etc.  We are taking this opportunity to ask for your understanding, patience and assistance when we are unable to have a Traffic Warden cover a crossing that effects your school.

Given the current circumstances with Covid-19, vaccinations and the demographics of our Traffic Wardens there has not been as much interest in becoming a Traffic Warden this year. This being the case, we are left with quite a few crossings being unattended.
 
We fully understand your frustration at not having a Traffic Warden at your children’s crossing and also your concerns revolving around OSH issues as we have the same concerns.  We have been advertising in all areas of the metropolitan area, but it is not proving to be as successful as we would like.  Therefore, we are asking for your assistance.

If any Parents/Grandparents are interested in becoming a Traffic Warden they can contact the Children’s Crossings Unit direct on 6274 8731.  An application pack can be sent to them.  If they are successful in applying for the position and pass their training, they can be placed at your crossing, if it is one of our unmanned crossings only. It is also a paid position which does not affect a pension too much if employment is taken up. It would be highly recommended that any potential candidate on a pension contact Centrelink to have a chat.  The current pay rate is around $25.58 per hour - two hours per day/five days per week.

To become a Traffic Warden, we require the applicant have access to email, a full driver’s license with access to a vehicle and be able to work the full 10 shifts per week - one hour in the morning and one hour in the afternoon.  Any applicant signed up in this manner, who is a part of the school community, must reside within a 10km radius of their crossing/school. 
Once the application has been submitted, it will commence the application process which involves a background check through WA Police Force Personal Security Vetting Unit.  If they are supported they will be sent a medical assessment to take to their doctor which will need to be paid for by the applicant and reimbursed by the Children’s Crossings Unit - up to $70.00.  Once they have passed the medical assessment they will be invited to attend State Traffic Operations in Midland for a training day which will last for about 4 – 5 hours.

Our unit is endeavouring to hire more wardens urgently, but would be very appreciative of any assistance from the schools we serve.
 
Kind Regards
Janelle Child
Manager
Children’s Crossings Unit

Purchasing an Entertainment Membership is a WIN-WIN!!  

Not only will you receive limited time Bonus Offers and a Bonus eGift card with your purchase you will also support our fundraiser. 

When you purchase a Single City Membership, you can choose between a BONUS $10 Macpac, BCF or Woolworths eGift Card. 
When you purchase a Multi City or a Multi City Plus Membership, can choose between a BONUS $30 Macpac, BCF or Woolworths eGift Card.  

Hurry this promotion ends on the 21st of March. 

https://www.entertainment.com.au/orderbooks/842f15

1 - PMACS Cafe: Important information on allergies

We are a ‘nut aware’ School, and this is incorporated into our Café menu policy. The Waves Café does not use or allow the sale of peanut butter and/or Nutella, and satay style foods contain nut free products.

A range of gluten free products are also available for those who have a gluten allergy.

The Café makes every effort to support students and their allergies however cannot guarantee that any of its food is free of substances that may cause an allergic reaction (such as nuts, eggs, shellfish or gluten).

The School encourages students with allergies to be sensible and vigilant when purchasing food from the Café. It is recommended that students with severe allergies only bring food from home and do not purchase from the School Café.

2 - PMACS Cafe: Supply of orders

Every effort is made to provide our Primary School students with the items ordered for them, however, due to the current supply shortages, items may need to be substituted without notice. 

At the beginning of Term 2, we change into our formal winter uniform and winter sports uniform. Most items of winter uniform are now in stock.

Pre-ordered Blazers will be ready for collection from Tuesday 8th March.

Uniform Shop – Opening Hours Easter 2022

Tuesday 19th April                          8am – 12pm & 2pm – 6pm
Thursday 21st April                         8am – 12pm & 2pm – 6pm
Wednesday 27th April                     7.45am – 12pm
Thursday 28th April                        Normal term time openings resume 7.45am – 12pm

The Secondary Library is open to Secondary School students for resource borrowing and studying every day.

Opening hours are as follows:

Monday 7.30am -3.40pm
Tuesday 7.30am – 4.00pm
Wednesday 7.30am – 4.00pm
Thursday 7.30am – 4.00pm
Friday 7.30am – 3.00pm

Being able to ‘read’ is seen as a fundamental skill that enables people to learn and function productively within a society. The Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority (2016), states that “Success in any learning area depends on being able to use the significant, identifiable and distinctive literacy that is important for learning.”

Alarmingly, a 2013 report stated “In Australia almost half of the adult population still does not have the minimum standards of literacy to meet the demands of everyday life and work.” (ABS, cited in Shoghi et al.)
How do we try to ensure our children will not become illiterate adults?

We read

Engaging in an individual reading program is highly regarded as the activity that improves a teenage student’s literacy- it also has other benefits, Reading:

- improves a person’s vocabulary, spelling, writing, and verbal linguistic skills

- makes people more empathetic as they consider the feelings and situations of characters within novels

- although an independent task, gives people the skills that help them interact socially

- provides entertainment

- improves focus, concentration and memory

- allows people to expand their knowledge of the world

- develops our analytical skills

- acts as stress relief and a tool for improving the quality of sleep

Lower Secondary School students have been set the task of reading for a minimum of 20 minutes each day. The Library provides a range of books suitable for all reading levels, across all genres. During the week students are given opportunities to read in class and to select reading material from the Library.

 Please expect and encourage your children to read every day. 

Bibliography.

Australian Curriculum, Assessment  and Reporting Authority 2016, ‘What is literacy’, ACARA Australian Curriculum, Assessment  and Reporting Authority, viewed 28 February 2019, .

Shoghi, A., Willersdorf, E., Braganza, L. and McDonald, M. 2013, 2013 Let’s Read Literature Review,  The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Community Child Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, Melbourne. 

Ignite Award is an exciting program of discovery run by Awards WA. It is specifically designed for young people aged 9 – 13 years and provides a framework to learn valuable skills, be physically active, 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.

Students in Years 5-8 are eligible to complete the Award which has 4 levels, increasing in challenge. Each level has four parts:

Physical Activity - To encourage participation in physical activity and improve performance and fitness.

Hobby - To encourage the development of personal interests and practical skills.

Volunteering - To develop and encourage a sense of community spirit and responsibility to others.

Adventure - Encourage a spirit of exploration and increase confidence in unfamiliar places.

Ignite Award benefits young people by fostering positive attitudes towards learning, complementing their school curriculum whilst also building an environment for positive engagement and interaction between young people and the community.

This youth program creates opportunities for students to try new things and learn new skills and in the process, develop initiative and commitment, becoming more responsible and motivated young people. Ignite Award also builds an environment for positive engagement and interaction between the student, staff, and family members.

If you are interested in the program and your child is in Years 5 or 6, please contact Mrs Bev Goosen on bgoosen@pmacs.wa.edu.au
If your child is in Years 7 or 8 please contact Ms Sara Priest at spriest@pmacs.wa.edu.au

HRH Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh KG, KT, AK, is remembered for many things, but his lasting legacy will always be the youth awards programme that carries his name. The awards programme was founded in the United Kingdom in 1956 and has since expanded to 144 nations. The award recognises adolescents and young adults for completing a series of self-improvement tasks: fitness training, expeditions, projects, and rescue services. The award was initially for boys and was administered by John Hunt, who led the first successful ascent of Mount Everest in 1953. The first girls joined in September 1958.

Today, the Award is an internationally recognised programme, with over 8 million young people taking part since its inception. It aims to build skills, equipping young people for life and work, and playing a critical role in their development. Each programme is personalised which allows young people a structure to fulfil their passions and ambitions in a way that suits them.
 
It has three levels; bronze, silver, and gold and with assistance from adult leaders, participants select and set objectives in each of the following areas:

• Volunteering - undertaking services to individuals or the community
• Physical - improving in an area of sport, dance, or fitness activities
• Skills - developing practical and social skills and personal interest
• Expedition - planning, training for, and completing an adventurous journey

At Gold level, participants must do an additional Residential section, which includes staying and working away from home for five days, doing a shared activity.
 
To achieve an award, participants must work on each section for a minimum period and must be monitored and assessed by someone with knowledge of the chosen activity. Each progressive level requires more time and commitment from participants: Bronze 3-6 months; Silver 6-9 months; Gold 12-18 months.
 
If you would like more information, please look at the website: dukeofed.com.au or contact Sara Priest, Phil Carr or Alison Grey via email or telephone via Secondary Reception.