Filter Content
- 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
- P&C News
- Student Achievement
- Art Recycling Materials Needed
- Highlights from Atlantis OSHC Alkimos
- Levels of Playground Behaviour at Alkimos Primary School
- Term Dates 2024
- Attendance
- Story Dog Volunteers for 2024
- Community News
Welcome to our second newsletter for the term. Another entertaining assembly hosted by CRs 21 and 23 has been a highlight in the weeks since our last publication. It was also fantastic to see so many Mums, Nannas and other Mum-figures enjoy the pampering in the week leading up to Mother’s Day that many classes offered. I’m delighted to report that the always popular Bumblebees has commenced for 2024; again, it’s wonderful to see so many children and parents already involved.
Academy School Photography Thank you to the families that have approached me directly in response to my Connect messages about this situation. I am very grateful for your understanding about these disappointing circumstances. As stated, I will continue to provide updates and advice upon receiving these from the Department of Education.
Student Behaviour I am aware of some comments that were made in response to a behaviour incident on Friday 17 May that took place in the playground. It is very unfortunate that a student was hurt. This concerned me, and all staff members.
Equally concerning however were some of the social media remarks. Posts were made that are factually incorrect; for example, an ambulance was called (it wasn’t), and that there were ‘injuries’ to staff members (the two staff members involved were fine and continued to work). Further, inaccurate judgements about the student involved were made, in that the incident was linked to a student’s disability. The truth is that the student doesn’t have a diagnosed disability, let alone is in a particular school program. All of these comments are extremely unhelpful.
I understand that it can be upsetting, or traumatic, for other students to observe such one-off situations. However, this is not trauma. Trauma occurs when events are so frightening, they cause a prolonged alarm reaction, where the body is primed and pumped with enzymes such as adrenaline and does not calm down for a long time, if at all. In any person, this creates an altered neurological state. Children are more vulnerable to trauma than adults. Chronic abuse (physical, sexual or emotional), neglect and family and domestic violence in childhood affect the mind, the developing brain, the body, spirit and relationships with others. It is known that around 80% of human trauma occurs in the family setting.
The point I am leading to is that the behaviour exhibited in this incident, and an increasing number at school, are linked to trauma in children; not a disability or simply ‘naughty kids’. I’d like to emphasize there is substantially more to our students’ issues that staff members work so hard to help with. Across my 38 years in education, I am seeing more and more children present at school with authentic and complex trauma, having been deeply affected and impacted by these issues stated above.
It is for these compelling reasons that you’ll will steadily see and hear that Alkimos PS is participating in new programs that focus upon the issues of trauma and their causes. In the Northern Beaches Education Network (NBEN), all schools, including ours, is taking up the Berry Street Education Model (https://www.berrystreet.org.au/). Also, we’ve joined schools from across the state in the Respectful Relationships Project (https://www.starick.org.au/wa-respectful-relationships-teaching-support-program/). I sincerely hope that these valuable additions increase understanding of trauma-related behaviour and give cause for reflection in our community of the harsh issues some students and families are dealing with.
Finally, I wish to emphasize that it is not OK for students, staff members or visitors to be hurt of feel unsafe at school, regardless of the challenges faced by individual students. Again. staff members work tirelessly to assist this student, and all others, to regulate their emotions and to teach that while anger is emotion that we all may feel and gets triggered at some stage, it’s not acceptable to hurt others because of this. We also teach that of course, there are consequences, at school and in society, for hurting others.
National Reconciliation Week Next week, our students will be involved in activities marking National Reconciliation Week. For example, our Year 6 students will be discussing the issues about why National Reconciliation Week is so important in Australian society, highlighting landmark events such as Sorry Day, the Mabo High Court decision, and the 1967 Referendum.
Andy Gorton
PRINCIPAL
Dear Families,
Over halfway through term 2, It seems that the weather is starting to cool in the mornings. Please remember that students are to wear their school jackets or a plain navy jacket, with no logos or hood. There are always jumpers left in the lost property so if your child has misplaced theirs ask them to check.
Brekkie Club
Remember that Brekkie (Thursday) club starts 07:40am in the art room, some students are arriving after 8am and it’s a rush for them to eat and tidy up before 08:20. All are welcome, I look forward to seeing your children.
P&C Day WA 2024
This will be celebrated on Friday 24 May. Falling within National Volunteers Week, this event gives schools and education stakeholders the opportunity to celebrate P&C members and volunteers. Our P & C at Alkimos are amazing and do so much for our students and school community, they organise raffles, out of school events, Mother’s, Father’s Day stalls and lunches, just to name a few. Their events raise vast amounts of revenue, to which the school benefits. To name a few.
Shade sails $15,000.
Buses for sporting excursions and other excursions
Reading books to the total of $10,000
Early Childhood resources $10,000
Bumblebees
Astronomy night
Year 6 graduation lunch
So much of what the school community receives is achieved by a small group of parents and carers. We would like to thank and acknowledge the following for their tireless work and hours they give up.
Nicole Page - President
Scott Lewis – Vice President
Tara Dewar
Kendall Burnham
Kerry Hall
Justin Latter
Please also see the letter from Lisa Rogers, Director General
School Parking and dropping off
Can I please remind you all to continue to turn left when entering the car park. The Bollards will continue to be raised during drop off and pick up times for the safety of our students walking into school on the car park crossing. This area is not for student drop off at any time of day. We have had complaints from families and community members regarding parking on verges and pavements to the rear and front of the school, this makes it extremely dangerous for students and families to navigate the crossing of the roads as they do not have clear vision. We have requested that the ranger visits the area a few times a week. I ask that you are courteous to others when using the parking around the school.
Sara Sparks
Manager Corporate Services
Thank you for a lovely welcome back after my long service leave. I spent six lovely weeks exploring the beautiful Coral Coast in our caravan, making some amazing memories with our little family.
HBF Run for a Reason
Last Sunday, a group of our staff completed the HBF Run for a Reason. Our ‘reason’ was to raise awareness of children’s brain cancer and to support a student at our school currently undergoing treatment. Here are some photos of us before and after the run!
National Simultaneous Storytime
This Wednesday we took part in the National Simultaneous Storytime! Every year a picture book, written and illustrated by an Australian author and illustrator, is chosen by the Australian Library and Information Association. It is read simultaneously in libraries, schools, pre-schools, family day cares, childcare centres, family homes, bookshops and many other places around the country. It aims to encourage young children to read and enjoy books as well as teach them the value of literacy.
The book chosen for this year is Bowerbird Blues by Aura Parker. It stars a beautiful bowerbird on the search for BLUE! It’s a moving story of longing and connection, that unfolds as the bowerbird’s search sends him soaring across the sea, sky and city. He swoops and snatches vibrant treasures for his collection, and soon his bower – a mix of natural and unnatural objects – attracts something greater and more fulfilling than he could ever have imagined.
Here are some photos of our wonderful students taking part in National Simultaneous Storytime and completing some activities with their Buddy Classes.
Many Thanks,
Pip Ramsden
Associate Principal
Join Us for an Evening of Aboriginal Astronomy at Alkimos Primary School
We are excited to invite families to a special evening dedicated to Aboriginal Astronomy at Alkimos Primary School. This unique star gazing event will be held in honour of The Emu Dreaming story, a significant tale from the local Noongar culture that our school has proudly adopted.
We are privileged to have Noel Nannup, a highly respected Noongar Elder, as our guest speaker. Noel will share his extensive Indigenous knowledge and offer fascinating insights into Aboriginal Astronomy. He will explain how The Emu Dreaming story is intricately connected to the stars and the night sky, enriching our understanding of Aboriginal storytelling and cultural heritage.
This event is an excellent opportunity for students and their families to deepen their appreciation of Aboriginal culture and the ancient wisdom passed down through generations. It's also a chance to witness the powerful connection between storytelling and the cosmos.
The Gin Gin Gravity Discover Centre will be here on the night and have telescopes set up on the oval for families to view the stars and see the connections first hand between The Emu Dreaming story and our night sky.
Due to limited space, we can accommodate a maximum of 300 participants. Attendance is free, but spots will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. To secure your place, please scan the QR code provided and complete the registration process.
Don't miss out on this remarkable evening of learning and cultural celebration. Gates open at the school at 5pm, further details, including the time and specific location within the school, are available on the flyer.
Thank you to Mrs Birchall for organising this awesome opportunity for our school community. We look forward to seeing you there!
National Reconciliation Week
National Reconciliation Week is from 27 May to 3 June each year. National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to consider the personal contribution they can make to creating a better, more reconciled country. The theme for NRW 2024 is Now, More Than Ever and is a reminder to us all that the work continues: in treaty making, in truth-telling, in understanding our history, in education, and in tackling racism.
The 2024 song for NRW is the great Australian anthem – Blackfella/Whitefella by the Warumpi Band. The song urges all of us to work together and to ‘stand up and be counted, no matter what your colour’. You may hear this play through siren through out the week.
Visit the link below to find out more about National Reconciliation Week and events that may be occurring during this week.
National Reconciliation Week - Reconciliation Australia
Every year on 26 May, National Sorry Day remembers and acknowledges the mistreatment of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who were forcibly removed from their families and communities, which we now know as ‘The Stolen Generations’.
National Sorry Day is a day to acknowledge the strength of Stolen Generations Survivors and reflect on how we can all play a part in the healing process for our people and nation. While this date carries great significance for the Stolen Generations and other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, it is also commemorated by Australians right around the country.
Understanding Sorry Day is an important step towards healing our nation and walking towards a reconciled future, and especially important for the Alkimos Primary School community as we continue to learn Noongar Language and culture.
Mother’s Day
It was wonderful to see our mums, grandmothers, carers being celebrated across the school in the lead up to Mother’s Day. I hope you all had a lovely day. Below are some pictures from our early childhood classes.
Kind regards,
Kirstin MacLean
Hello families,
I cannot believe we are in week 6 already, time flies when you’re having fun! A fun fact for my newsletter article is that May is “National Walking Month”. It is campaign to encourage people across all ages and backgrounds to get outside and embrace the simple, yet profound health benefits of walking. This month-long event is the perfect opportunity to explore the great outdoors, improve fitness, and connect with others in a healthy, enjoyable way.
I love my Saturday & Sunday morning walks with my toddler to get a coffee and baby chino from our local coffee shop. Even if it does mean collecting as many sticks as possible on the way home!
During my visits around the classes, I have loved visiting CR11 to watch Mr Hobson, Miss King and their amazing students learn all about time, in particular analogue clocks. Well done to all in CR11 who continue to make Alkimos PS an amazing place to learn and work.
Thanks,
Mr Chrimes
Hi Everyone,
I hope you have had a lovely week and enjoyed being around our great school.
Our SLP students have been working extremely hard on their goals for this week and continue to amaze me with their progress and the amazing projects they have been working on. They have been very successful with their transitions to Mainstream classrooms and even though this can cause anxiety for some of our students, they use the strategies that work for them so that they can engage and have fun.
It is timely to consider what Inclusivity looks like at Alkimos. Inclusive education means all students are welcomed by their school and supported to reach their full potential. Inclusion is most effective when schools aim to create a culture that celebrates diversity and builds on the strengths of each student. Inclusive schools nurture educators to provide learning outcomes for students with disability using best practice approaches and current, evidence-based strategies.
Inclusion is about providing equitable access and opportunity to all and involves removing discrimination and other barriers so that all individuals feel that they belong and are connected. Inclusion creates a learning environment that adapts to each student, rather than expecting students with disability to adapt to the learning environment.
Inclusive education is an ongoing process of reflection and evaluation.
Good Day Everyone
How lovely to still be enjoying some warm weather.
We have started the In Real Life program with all the year 5 students this term and are currently running 4 small groups with the help of Mr Alexandre and Miss Williams. What is the In Real Life Program? Through a combination of games, activities and discussions, students learn about the power of community and connection, what healthy friendships look and feel like, and how they can access support and resources when required. In year 5 students seem to struggle more with friendship issues and conflict and it can often turn nasty, and some students end up feeling hurt or alone. One of the sessions of the In Real Life program deals with resolving conflict in a healthy way. Parents can play an important role in helping their kids in this area.
I have attached a wonderful resource for parents and students which is very user friendly and simple to use. You will find amazing tools and tips for nearly every area of your child’s development and great support for parents as well as schools. Please feel free to have a look at the link if you find your child needing help with conflict resolution or anything else.
https://kidshelpline.com.au/parents/issues/helping-kids-handle-conflict
On the Kids Helpline Website parents can find another list of wonderful organisations offering free services to parents, including the NGALA Parenting Line WA for all areas of parenting. Please click on the link below!
- For parent counselling you can call (08) 9368 9368 or 1800 111 546 (free for STD callers)
8am to 8pm, 7 days a week
Take Care!
Marche Smith
School Chaplain
Dear families,
Thank you to everyone who came and saw us at the Mother’s Day stall during week 4. It was great to see all the kids come past selecting gifts for the mother figures in their life. We hope everyone loved their gifts and that you all had a wonderful day with your loved ones.
We would like to congratulate all the winners of our Mother’s Day raffle: Fulton, Lisa, Mitchell, Cody-Rae, Abby, Rebecca, Joanne, Harper, Lisa, Kirara, Stefanie, Casey, Kenzie & Carissa. Also a big thank you to the families at school and the local businesses who donated a prize to the raffle, we really appreciate the support.
Billy G’s Cookie Dough
Today is the last day to get your orders in for the cookie dough. If you have received any cash orders, please make sure they have been processed through your online profile with a card or paypal payment. Delivery will be approximately Thurs 20 June 2024, and more information regarding this will be sent out closer to the time.
Crazy Hair & Sock Day
This year the P&C have added crazy socks to our normal crazy hair day. For a gold coin donation students can come to school wearing crazy socks and/or a crazy hairstyle. Kindy Green will start us off on Tues 11 June, with the rest of the school following on Fri 14 June. This is always a fun one for the kids and we love seeing the fun hairstyles they come up with, so we cannot wait to see the crazy socks they come up with.
School Disco
On Sat 22 June the P&C will be holding a school disco at Butler Community Centre for all our students. We will be holding 3 sessions, each for different year levels. More information will be coming out early June regarding tickets and times, so please keep an eye on our socials for all the details.
Facebook: alkimospandc
Instagram: #alkpnc
Kind regards,
Alkimos Primary School P&C
Art recycling materials needed:
If you have any of the following items we would love to reuse them in Visual Arts. Please drop them off to Mrs Nixon in the Art room. Thank you.
Clear round plastic food containers at least 10cm in depth (washed please)
Event date: 27 May to 17 June 2024
Ticket Price Information: Some events will be free and individual costs will apply for others.
Time(s): Various times and locations
For more information including booking, costs and timetable visit the City of Wanneroo website https://www.wanneroo.wa.gov.au/events/event/837/beach_to_bush_arts_festivalImmerse yourself in the City’s vibrant arts scene! Featuring local artists spanning dance, music, visual arts and more, there’s something for all ages to enjoy. With captivating performances and inspiring exhibitions and classes popping up all over the City, this community festival is not to be missed.
Our wonderful Languages teacher Mrs Birchall will be running a weaving workshop for kids at Butler Community Centre.
FREE Junkadelic Art Collective - Percussion Workshop
FREE Jotterbook - The Recycled Material Flowers Workshops
Kind regards,
Jessica Nixon
Term 2 Highlights at Atlantis OSHC Alkimos
Term 2 at Atlantis OSHC Alkimos has been a fun and action-packed period, filled with creativity and excitement!
We were delighted to see our children making special gifts for Mother’s Day, diving into various activities and exploring their artistic sides.
This term has been truly memorable with the introduction of our TAG Sports program at Alkimos Primary School. This program features a new sport every three weeks, with our dedicated Sports Coach facilitating activities each week to develop the children’s skills. TAG Sports is a fantastic initiative from The Atlantis Group, with a commitment to foster a lifelong love of movement in our children. By focusing on fundamental sports such as AFL, Basketball, Tennis, Netball, Athletics, Soccer, Softball, and many more, TAG Sports helps children develop core competencies and equips them with essential life skills like problem-solving, communication, and emotional regulation. This term, we've already enjoyed Netball and Balance & Movement and we look forward to the exciting lineup ahead. The best part? This engaging program is free for all enrolled children attending After School Care on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, June 4th! We'll be open for the upcoming School Development Day, featuring an exciting incursion activity with Modern Artists. Children will unleash their creativity using iPads to create unique digital artwork and parents will receive a QR code to access their masterpieces from home.
Stay tuned for more updates and adventures from Atlantis OSHC Alkimos! ?✨
For enrolment or booking enquiries, please visit www.atlantisonline.com.au or contact our OHSC Manager, Nicole, on 0499 901 159 or via email at am@atlantisonline.com.au.
Kind regards,
Atlantis OSHC Alkimos Team
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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.
