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- Mr Gorton’s Gossip
- Mrs Sparks' Office Remarks
- Miss Ramsden’s Report
- Mrs MacLean's Memo's
- Mr Chrimes' Comments
- Mrs Papadopoff's Ponderings
- Chaplain’s Chatter
- Triple P Help Ditch the Devices by Mrs Rees
- Year One’s Teddy Bear Picnic - By Mrs Cochrane
- Sci Tech Stem Club by Ms Sutton
- Anzac Day Dawn Service
- Term Dates 2024
- Attendance
- Story Dog Volunteers for 2024
- Community News
Our first term of 2024 concludes tomorrow, and how this has flown by! It’s been a short term, but just as busy as ever.
Since our last newsletter, we’ve enjoyed two assemblies; from CRs 5 & 8, and CRs 9 & 10. These events remain a highlight and showcase the many talents of our students. At last Friday’s gathering, this year’s Peer Mediators were announced. This group of students play an important role in the playground in helping their schoolmates.
Last week, the first of the Year 6 Bake Sales took place- the support was amazing! This event raised $1167- excellent news!
On Monday, Years 3 and 5 students concluded NAPLAN. Congratulations to all students that participated for their application during the assessments. Thank you Mr Chrimes for your smooth coordination of over the week and half duration of NAPLAN.
Yesterday, it was such a pleasure to wish our senior AFL girls the very best for their carnival, held at Des Penman Reserve in Nollamara. What a team! They were excited, enthusiastic, and so supportive of each other. Our team returned tired but elated, winning several games, and finishing a very credible 9th overall. A special mention goes to Willow - 7 goals kicked across the carnival!
Today, our senior students participated in the summer carnival in three sports at different nearby venues. At the time of writing, the events were well under way; as always, I’m sure that our teams acquitted themselves to a high standard in performances and in behaviour and conduct.
Tomorrow, I look forward to the Easter Hat Parade, and the announcement of the P & C’s Easter raffle winners and colouring-in competition.
School Uniforms A reminder that as we head into the cooler weather, students will likely start to wear a jumper and or long pants. I ask that these items remain consistent with our school dress code. Similarly, in relation to girl’s attire, can I please request that bicycle shorts are worn under a skort, or similar. The school dress code is published here for your information, and is always available on our school website.
Term 2 Staffing Update Please note the following changes to our staffing and teaching arrangements for the commencement of Term 2:
- Miss Ramsden will be on extended leave for weeks 1 to 4 of the term, resuming on Monday 13 May.
- In CR 18, Mrs Lay finishes tomorrow, but will spend the first weeks of next term in the office, before taking parental leave. We wish Jessica and her husband David the very best for the exciting arrival of their first child.
- We welcome Miss Jamie Rustidge to the position in CR 18.
- Mrs Angela Griffiths will be finishing in the Art specialist role. Mis Alice Smith will pick up this position, in addition to her day in ECE 3.
Later in the term, several of our staff members are taking Long Service Leave, in most cases being obliged to do so in order to be complaint with Public Service policy.
Easter Break I wish all staff, students and their families a Happy Easter and holidays break. Term 2 resumes for everyone on Monday 15 April- this is a school day.
Andy Gorton
PRINCIPAL
Its hard to believe that we are in the last week of term. It has flown by. We have still had such a busy term.
Department Compliance Review
In February Alkimos PS was selected for a School Compliance Review as part of the Department’s School Compliance Program. The objective of this review is to ensure the effectiveness of the school's financial and administrative systems and to confirm adherence to policies and legal obligations. This looks at the following areas.
- Receipting and Banking.
- Purchasing and Payments.
- Governance and Accountability.
- Asset Management, and
- Human Resources.
This was undertaken last week, and although it can be daunting to have another department member going through every single item of our work, I am please to say, we were given an excellent result.
‘Key management personnel within the school displayed an excellent attitude toward compliance and this is reflected in the excellent result for the school. The overall conclusion of this compliance assessment is that Alkimos Primary is well run and generally compliant with Department policy, local laws, and regulations.’
Brekkie Club
Last Thursday, was our final brekkie club for this term. Thank you to the P & C and families supplying the students with hot cross buns, pancakes, fruit toast and pikelets. There were lots of happy faces. Brekkie club will resume next term week 2 in the art room.
Parking
We have had a few concerned parents contact us in the office regarding parents/carers not observing the highway code in relation to parking on verges, this happens particularly at the back of the school. This makes it very unsafe for families and students when navigating their way around that area. Likewise, dropping students in the staff parking area in the morning is unsafe for our students and families walking through.
The ranger has again been notified and will be issuing fines where vehicles are not observing traffic rules.
Lastly, I wish you all a relaxing break with your families, enjoy the good weather and your special time together these easter celebrations.
Sara Sparks
Manager Corporate Services
Easter Hat Parade, Raffle and Colouring Competition
We end the term with our annual Easter Hat Parade on Thursday morning! This wonderful event allows students to showcase their hat creations whilst hopping along to some Easter-themed music. The P&C raffle winners and Easter colouring competition winners are announced. I saw lots of great prizes up for grabs in the office this week. A huge thanks to our P&C for all their hard work in getting this organised for us and congratulations to our lucky winners!
Mrs McFee!
Our Year One and Two classes have been learning Mrs McFee as part of their Talk4Writing unit. CR3 and ECE6 students were very excited about being "famous" and going in the newsletter showing off their Mrs McFee hats. They had to design, make and evaluate a new colourful hat for Mrs McFee which linked to their Technology lessons. Students chose the style of hat they wanted to create, and some even tried their hand at origami! I love all the fantastic decorations and think that Mrs McFee would look amazing in every single one! Here are some pictures of our super hats!
Many Thanks,
Pip Ramsden
Associate Principal
What a busy last few weeks of term 1 we have had. It has been wonderful to see so many students coming up to the office to show good work and share their learning with us. We love to celebrate these special achievements with them and see their proud, happy faces.
On Wednesday I had the pleasure of going to the Interschool Summer Carnival with our Tee-ball teams. The students played really well with the girls’ teams ending the day as runner up champions. What I enjoyed the most about the day was how supportive and encouraging our students were to each other and students they were playing against. Mr Wulff and Mr Alexandre both said the same about the students who played cricket and basketball. Everyone who participated should feel very proud of their wonderful display of good sportsmanship as well as their sporting achievements.
A very big thank you to Mr Wulff for organising this opportunity for our students. Thank you also to the teachers who attended and the parents who came and supported us on the day.
ANZAC Ceremony
Our school ANZAC Ceremony will be held on Wednesday 24 April starting at 1.30pm in the Agora. We welcome Mr Prangnell OAM from Quinns Rocks RSL to address our students. If your child is a member of a club such as scouts / guides / cadets, they are welcome to wear their uniform to school on the day. Students are welcome to bring a flower to lay at the flagpoles if they would like and to wear a poppy / rosemary or a family member’s medals.
I hope you all have a happy and safe school holidays and look forward to seeing you back for term 2.
Kind regards,
Kirstin MacLean
Wow! I cannot believe how quickly this term has gone. CR9 & CR 10’s assembly last week was amazing, I certainly enjoyed my intro music, thanks Miss Thomas & Miss Holthaus.
A massive well done to the Year Three & Year Five students who completed their NAPLAN tests. You did amazing, your teachers, peers and families are so proud of you!
As always it has been wonderful to see visitors to my office to show off their amazing work. Well done to Tegan in CR13 for the amazing dragon picture and the 9+ students from CR3 who showed me their awesome writing!
I wish all families a wonderful Easter break and look forward to seeing you all at the start of Term Two.
This Newsletter I thought I would discuss Positive Reinforcement and how we use this in our classrooms.
Reinforcement is used to increase the chances a learner will use a target skill or behaviour. The SLP Homerooms and Mainstream classrooms at our school use positive reinforcement in the classroom to teach skills and increase desired behaviours.
If a child’s use of a skill/behaviour is positively reinforced, it increases the likelihood that the child will perform the skill or behaviour again.
After identifying a behaviour or a skill that we would like increase, we establish a clear goal or outcome and then decide on a suitable reinforcer.
A child or class has to be extremely motivated by the reinforcer and for this reason we often ask families to complete a Reinforcement Inventory or Get to Know You Form. Teachers sometimes will negotiate a reinforcer with a student after observations in the classroom.
Teachers then track the behaviour or skill before, during and after the reinforcement is implemented to determine the success of the reinforcement.
If you would like to chat about or find out any further information about Positive Reinforcement, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or anyone in the office.
Wishing you all a very happy, safe holiday.
Good Day Everyone
And just like that it is the last week of Term 1! Hope you all make the most of your Easter break!
I would like to draw your attention to some more helpful resources for families.
The Salvation Army Merriwa are committed to the safety and wellbeing of people of all ages, particularly children and offers all social srervices without discrimination. The services offered include the following:
Alcohol and other drug services
For more information and how to access the services please click on the link below: https://www.salvationarmy.org.au/need-help/
No Limits is another great organisation that assist families in need, and they also have support hubs in different areas for people to access free practical services. The closest hub currently is in Joondalup. See flyer below for free services offered, times and dates or click on the link for more information.
https://www.nolimitsperth.org.au/
Stay Safe
Marche Smith
School Chaplain
POSITIVE TIPS TO HELP DITCH THE DEVICES FOR A STRESS-FREE FAMILY ROAD TRIP
The school holidays are here and whether it's a day trip or a longer adventure, Triple P – Positive Parenting Program experts have got you covered with simple strategies to reduce the road-trip screen time, avoid the familiar cries of ‘are we there yet?’ and supercharge your family connection.
Triple P International Country Director, Carol Markie-Dadds, said going away as a family helps everyone to build lasting memories and spend quality time together. But long hours in the car can test even the calmest of parent’s patience even before you make it to the end of the driveway!
“While using a device to occupy kids can sometimes seem like a godsend for drivers, there are ways you can rethink how to make the time pass and enjoy spending time together as a family while you're at it,” Ms Markie-Dadds said.
“The easiest way to reduce that screen time is to think ahead and swap that time kids would normally spend on a device with something else like playing a game or singing, so your child can engage their brain in different and new ways whilst also tapping into your family’s fun side. It doesn’t necessarily mean ditching the screen entirely, but a few small tweaks can help to boost everyone’s mood and energy levels.”
“If the thought of going screen-free makes you nervous, try setting a screen time holiday schedule,” Carol says.
"Australian guidelines suggest children aged 2 to 5 years old should have a maximum of one hour of recreational screen time daily, and 5 to 17-year-olds should have a maximum of two hours. This isn’t always realistic or possible though, so try finding a relaxed moment to chat about screen time before your trip starts so the expectations are clear. Maybe it’s about coming up with a plan to use screens for a certain section of the trip, instead of on and off for the entire journey. A little planning ahead can go a long way,” she said.
TRIPLE P’S TOP 5 TIPS FOR A POSITIVE ROAD TRIP:
- Plan ahead. Kids are more likely to whine or act out enroute if they’re not included in some basic planning of the trip. If it’s a long journey, you could show them a map or talk about some of the things you’ll see along the way. A grumbling tummy usually means grumbling kids, so make sure they’re fed and hydrated before you get on the road, and pack plenty of snacks that are easy to unpack and eat.
- Set some expectations upfront and include your children in the decision-making. Together, decide on two or three simple rules you’ll try to stick to as a family, such as “use a quiet voice”, and “keep your hands and feet to yourself”. Ask your child what the rules are to check their understanding.
- Be prepared with a ‘bag of tricks’. Think: activity books, colouring in, paperback books, a soft toy. And like every great magician, try not to reveal everything immediately. Stagger the time you give them out to avoid boredom.
- Take regular breaks. For longer car trips, plan regular rest breaks so kids can stretch their legs and have a run around. Drivers should make sure to look after themselves too.
- Have fun! Car trips can be long, but they’re also a great opportunity to laugh together and enjoy each other’s company with some tried-and-true games. Try “spotto” – where everyone looks out for a yellow (or other colour) car, or a few games of eye spy. Let the kids choose some music or an audiobook – when children have some input into family decisions like these, it can boost cooperation.
For more information visit https://www.triplep-parenting.net.au/au/triple-p/
Kind regards,
Renee Rees
School Psychologist
To finish off the topic the students brought in their teddies from home to compare. They did a drawing of their teddy, and then we enjoyed a Teddy Bears Picnic. Here is a photo of ECE6 and CR3 enjoying the day.
This term we were given the opportunity to host Sci-Tech for an after school Stem Club. The students have been learning about coding and have worked to design an animal/character that they can control using lights, movement and sound. It has been wonderful watching how engaged the students have been, the way they have problem solved and supported each other each week!
Kind regards,
Ms Sutton
Specialist Teacher - Science
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Term 1 |
(holidays Friday 29th March – Sunday 14th April) |
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Term 2 |
(holidays Saturday 29th June – Sunday 14th July) |
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Term 3 |
(holidays Saturday 21st Sept – Sunday 6th October) |
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Term 4 |
(holidays Friday 13th Dec – Wednesday 5th February 25) |
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School Development Days (Subject to Change) Tuesday 4th June (Week 8, Term 2) Friday 23rd August (Week 6, Term 3) Friday 15th November (Week 6, Term 4) |
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Attendance Every Day
At Alkimos Primary we know that attending school every day enables your child to get the most from their education and create a bright future. This helps them create more opportunities for their future and leads to better health, social and work outcomes. Every day your child learns something new at school. Every day they build on what they already know, growing their knowledge and skills.
While the majority of our students miss school for legitimate reasons such as illness, we do have a concerning amount of unexplained student absences.
This term, teaching staff will be contacting families to follow up on any remaining unexplained absences. It is a Department of Education requirement that schools follow up on absences and record the reasons for these. If your child is absent, please let the class teacher or school office know the reason why they have been away from school as soon as possible. Thank you to those who are notifying the school regarding their child’s absences in a timely manner. You can do this via email, phone call, letter to the teacher or using the Schoolzine app, ‘SZapp’ that can be downloaded from the school website:
Where a student’s attendance falls below 90%, it is classed as ‘at risk’ by the Department of Education. If you have any concerns regarding your child’s attendance, please discuss these with the class teacher or contact Mrs MacLean in the office.
