Filter Content
- Mr Bagnall's Broadcast
- Mrs Sparks' Office Remarks
- Mrs MacLean's Memo's
- Mr Chrimes' Comments
- Mrs Papadopoff's Ponderings
- Game Over or Game On? Screen Time and Kids Mental Health by Mrs Rees
- Chaplain’s Chatter
- Respectfully Speaking by Alkimos Respectful Relationships Team
- Introducing New Counselling Services - Yanchep ECU Clinic
- Levels of Playground Behaviour at Alkimos Primary School
- P&C News
- Highlights from Atlantis OSHC Alkimos
- Attendance
- Term Dates 2025
- Support a Reader Program
- Story Dog Volunteers for 2025
- Community News
Term 2 is well and truly underway and has kicked off with swimming lessons! These have been going extremely well, and students should be very proud of the feedback received from swimming instructors so far! A special thanks to Mr Chrimes and our staff for co- ordinating this have component of our program as there is a lot of background planning and scheduling that goes into making this run so smoothly!
Last week it was fantastic to see so many families from Kindy, Pre-Primary and Year 3 here for Mother’s Day activities; the kids absolutely loved it and I’m sure they will remember it for a long time to come!
This term we have also welcomed back Mrs Lay from parental leave; Mrs Lay is currently working in ECE3 on a Wednesday and working on some projects in the office on a Friday. We also welcome back Mrs Barber (previously Miss Rogers) who has taken on our Year 1 and 2 technologies classes for Term 2.
New Playground
Planning has begun on our new playground equipment for our Years 3-6 students. Some early designs have been drawn up by providers, and shortly we will share these with students to see which one is preferred.
This will likely be located on the grass between our senior classroom blocks (Gamma and Delta) and will include new paved areas with lines marked for handball, 4-square and other activities, with most of the space being taken up by the play equipment.
We are hoping to get students input in the next couple of weeks, and expect that if everything moves as planned, this would likely be completed late Term 4.
New Student Information System and Attendance System
This week, our new student management system (Compass) has gone live. This has gone relatively smoothly, with a few minor teething issues around text messages not being sent correctly. Over the next couple of terms, we will continue introducing features of this to the community such as excursion permissions, absence requests and potentially classroom updates and messages.
Currently, if your child is absent and we are unaware why, you will receive a text message with a single use link; this link will allow you to notify us why your child is absent and will hopefully reduce emails / phone calls later in the year to chase up reasons for these.
If you have any issues when trying to do this, please contact the office.
Great Work
Some of our students have been doing some amazing work lately and have been showing off their reading and writing skills. Recently, some of our Year 6s have published their narrative texts, and are below for to have a read of!
Sporting Achievement
Recently, one of our Year 6 students competed in a Graceful Calisthenics competition in the Division 3 Graceful solo category. She placed 2nd for her division which is absolutely fantastic! Well done, Kenzie!
Upcoming events
This term, we have a lot of events coming up; please make sure to check the SchoolZine calendar regularly for updates, but these include:
- Thursday 29 May – Mr Gorton Farewell Assembly
- Friday 30 May – School Development Day
- Monday 2 June – WA Day public Holiday
- Monday 9 June - Walk / Ride to school day
- Friday 13 June – P&C Crazy Hair and Socks day
- Monday 16/Thursday 19 June – School Photos
- Wednesday 25 June – Year 6 Bake Sale
- Friday 4 July – Faction Cross Country
I hope that everyone has a great weekend, and I look forward to seeing everyone around the school over the next few weeks!
Regards,
Tom Bagnall
Acting Principal
Dear Families,
Brekkie Club
Just a reminder that Brekkie Club is still running whilst swimming is on – We only had around 8 students last week – It was unusually quiet ?
Competition Time Winners
Thank you to all those who have paid their voluntary contributions, we used a random number generator to pick the following winners of a $25 QBD voucher
Lucas CR5
Lily CR12
Korrine CR5
Autumn CR14
Lucy CR12
Adalyn CR12
Vouchers will be available to collect from the office
Lost Property
Whilst we are still having these lovely warmer days, we are noticing that students are leaving their jumpers around the school. We have lost of items in lost property. Please remember to name items so they can be easily returned.
Kind regards
Sara Sparks
Manager Corporate Services
Anzac Ceremony
On Tuesday 29th April, our school community commemorated the men and women who have served Australia and New Zealand in the Defence Forces. Our Anzac Ceremony is a time for students to reflect beyond the anniversary of the landing of troupes on Gallipoli shores in 1915. It is a time for the people of a community to gather together to recognise and remember the sacrifices made by all those who have served Australia and New Zealand in times of conflict and those who currently serve in the defence forces. We remember with pride, their courage, compassion, and comradeship.
Thank you to our wonderful music specialist, Miss Dupond for leading our choir and students in singing ‘Green Hills of Albany’. Congratulations also to our soloists who sang so beautifully. ‘The Green Hills of Albany’ was written to commemorate the Anzacs. In 1914, the largest gathering of ships ever seen in Australian waters occurred at Albany in Western Australia. The men who sailed from there were bound for Gallipoli and an unknown fate.
Mother’s Day Pamper Morning
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 Mother’s Day Pamper morning. We saw some very artistic portraits and colourful nails.
Have a lovely week.
Kirstin MacLean
We’re so excited to be back for Term 2! It’s been wonderful to see all the happy, smiling faces around the school again. The classrooms are buzzing with energy, and students have settled back in beautifully.
Swimming Success!
Our swimming program has started with a splash! The feedback from the Department of Education Swimming Team has been amazing—they’re so impressed with our students' effort and progress.
A massive thank you to Mr Wulff, who has been at the pool every day supporting our students. We are so grateful for his dedication and the positive impact he’s making.
Sharing Outstanding work in the Office
One of the best parts of Term 2 so far has been having so many students visit my office to proudly share their wonderful work! It’s been a real highlight to see the creativity, effort, and pride they’re putting into their learning. Omar from CR8 made a delicious cake, I loved it ?
Keep it coming—I enjoy celebrating your achievements!
Let’s keep up the great work and make Term 2 a fantastic one!
Cheers,
Mr. Chrimes
Associate Principal
Restorative Practice is a positive approach that promotes working with students, rather than doing things to them or for them.
Conflict is an inevitable part of life. How we work to resolve conflict impacts on a school’s climate and culture and ultimately on students’ social and academic outcomes. Schools need to be safe places where young people can learn and thrive in a supportive, enriching environment.
A restorative approach focuses on building and maintaining positive relationships across the whole school community. It aims to create an ethos of respect, inclusion, cooperation, accountability and responsibility.
Restorative Practice is a teaching and learning approach that promotes self-regulation and encourages behaviour that is supportive and respectful. It puts the onus on individuals to be truly accountable for their behaviour and to repair any harm caused to others as a result of their actions.
When schools are restorative they:
- value quality relationships
- model empathy and respectful relationships
- value student voice and utilise collaborative problem solving
- view inappropriate behaviours as opportunities for learning
- apply procedural fairness
- recognise the importance of repairing damaged relationships
- separate the ‘deed’ from the ‘doer’
- use active listening and positive language and tone
- avoid scolding, judging, lecturing or blaming
- foster self-awareness in the student
- implement consequences that are proportional and fair
- remain future focused.
Schools that work restoratively find that relationships are stronger, and learning is more effective. Restorative dialogues can provide important ‘teachable moments’ and opportunities to understand the impact of behaviour of self and others.
Restorative Practice is a non-punitive approach which accepts that we all make mistakes and have the ability to ‘fix’ the problem together and learn from our experiences. It is inclusive and concerned with maintaining and building connectedness between students, parents, teachers and the community. It is an essential component of wellbeing.
If you have any queries or questions about this process in our school, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s teacher or anyone in the office.
Kind regards,
GAME OVER OR GAME ON? SCREEN TIME AND KIDS MENTAL HEALTH
“Kids don’t need screens – their parents should just throw them away!”
Has anyone ever said anything like this to you? Have you thought something like this yourself?
Parenting in the digital age is a daily challenge we may not always feel prepared for. Unless you’ve decided to live off the grid, digital devices are part of the fabric of our children's world. Add to this that everyone from the media to our neighbours and friends seems to have an opinion on the amount of screen time kids should have. These views vary widely and don’t tend to be positive, leaving screens with a bad reputation.
It can be helpful to monitor your child’s use and – depending on children’s ages and needs –create boundaries that help keep them safe and suit your family. You decide what you are comfortable with, but to get you started, here are some ideas you could try.
Screen Time Tips for Kids
For children under 5:
- Experts recommend no screen time for kids under 2 (except for video calls with family and friends, which help build relationships).
- For ages 2–5, aim for no more than 1 hour per day of quality, educational screen time.
- Watch or play with your child to make it interactive and bonding.
- Be a role model—kids notice how much we use screens!
For school-aged children (5–16):
- Experts suggest limiting screen time to 2 hours a day (excluding school work).
- Show interest in what your child is watching or playing—join in or ask questions.
- Use parental controls and check them regularly.
- Set clear screen-time limits and involve your child in creating a schedule.
- Encourage other activities like sports, outdoor play, or hobbies to help balance screen time.
- Keep communication open—talk about online safety, cyberbullying, and let your child know they can come to you with any concerns.
Helping kids build healthy screen habits starts early and grows with them!
With these tips at hand, you may have a few more options to consider when it comes to screens, so that it doesn’t have to just be ‘game over’ for all devices. For more ideas on creating boundaries for screen use, you might like to check-out our range of online parenting programs. For families of children aged 12 and under, Triple P Online can help. For support with teens, you could try Teen Triple P Online. For parents and carers of children with disability, you might be interested in Stepping Stones Triple P Online.
Renee Rees
School Psychologist
Good Day Everyone
Welcome back! We have jumped straight back into term 2.
In the chaplain’s office over the last term the topic of parent and kids’ relationships came up a fair bit. Sadly, the lack of quality family time is affecting the moods and behaviour of our children without us even realising. Comments from students like, ‘I never talk to my mum/Dad’, ‘they are always on their phones’, or ‘they never listen to me or care what I do’, are some of the feelings that has been expressed by students. Times are busy and technology is more prominent as entertainment, so parents do have a lot to juggle between kids, work and life in general, but taking small steps to spending time together can make a huge difference to our children.
Quality time is crucial for the development and well-being of our children, it fosters stronger bonds, and positive behaviour patterns and makes them less prone to risky behaviours. It helps our children feel valued and boosts self-esteem and reduces stress levels for both parents and children.
Some Tips for spending quality time:
- Daily check-in: Make time for a daily conversation to hear about their day and build a sense of connection.
- Special rituals: Create a daily ritual, like a bedtime story or a shared meal, to make it a regular part of your lives.
- Low-tech activities: Turn off the screens and engage in activities like playing games, reading, or crafting.
- Active play: Get involved in physical activities like playing tag, going for a walk, or exercising together.
- Shared meals: Eating meals together is a great way to connect and talk.
- Let your children choose: Allow them to choose what they want to do, like choosing a movie or a game to play or having one on one time with each child doing what they love.
- Celebrate achievements: Acknowledge and celebrate their accomplishments to show you care and are proud of them.
Also check out the great parent resources below:
|
Chaplain links: https://raisingchildren.net.au/school-age/connecting-communicating/connecting/enjoying-time https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/time-do-the-things-your-kids-want-to-do/ |
Take Care
Marche Smith (school chaplain)
Respectfully Speaking
By the Alkimos Respectful Relationships Team
At Alkimos Primary School, we often talk about our school values—Respect, Resilience, Cooperation, Honesty, and Kindness. They’re more than just words. They are values we hope our children will carry with them into the world, shaping how they treat others and how they see themselves.
This week, we want to talk about one of those values in particular: RESPECT.
Why is Respect So Important?
Respect is the foundation of all strong relationships—at home, at school, and in the wider world. When children understand what respect is and why it matters, they are more likely to grow into thoughtful, confident and compassionate adults.
In a world where our kids are exposed to so much—whether it's social media, online games, or even just playground banter—it’s more important than ever that they have a strong sense of how to treat others with dignity and kindness. According to research from the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), when schools teach respectful behaviours and emotional skills explicitly, students show improved relationships, reduced bullying, and better academic results.
And it’s not just about what NOT to do—like avoiding name-calling or interrupting. It’s about what we DO instead: listening with care, speaking with kindness, and treating everyone as if they matter. Because they do.
What Does Respect Look Like in Real Life?
At Alkimos, we see respectful behaviour in many little moments throughout the day:
- A student helping a classmate clean up without being asked.
- Kids saying “please” and “thank you.”
- Waiting patiently for a turn.
- Apologising when someone’s feelings have been hurt.
- Speaking up kindly when something feels unfair.
Respect is not about being perfect—it’s about showing others that we value them. And often, it’s the small, consistent actions that speak the loudest.
How Do We Model Respect for Our Kids?
Our children are always watching—and learning from us. The way we speak to each other, how we handle frustration, and even the tone we use when we talk to them teaches them what respectful behaviour looks and feels like.
As Dr. Dan Siegel, author of The Whole-Brain Child, reminds us, “What we say to our children becomes their inner voice.” So, when we show empathy, stay calm in tense moments, and treat others with fairness, we are giving our children a powerful script for how to behave.
Here are a few simple ways we can model respect at home:
- Taking time to listen—even when we’re busy.
- Using “please” and “thank you” with our kids.
- Talking about feelings and encouraging empathy.
- Setting clear boundaries calmly and kindly.
And when mistakes happen (because they always do!), those moments can also become teaching opportunities. Saying, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have snapped,” shows children that respect includes accountability.
Respect in the Digital World
Our children are growing up in a world that’s very different from the one many of us knew. With access to the internet, YouTube, and social media, they see a wide range of behaviours—some respectful, some not.
That’s why it’s vital that we help them make sense of what they see. The eSafety Commissioner (2023) encourages families to talk openly about online behaviour and remind children that the same rules of kindness and respect apply online as they do in real life.
At school, our Respectful Relationships program helps students understand how to be kind, assertive, and inclusive—both in person and online. These lessons are more than just curriculum—they are lifelong skills.
Let’s Keep the Conversation Going
Respect begins at home, is reinforced at school, and grows through every interaction our children have. It’s in how we speak, how we listen, how we treat others—and most of all, how we make people feel.
Let’s keep working together to raise respectful kids who not only know right from wrong but choose to act with kindness and integrity—even when no one’s watching.
Thank you for being a part of this journey with us.
Warm regards,
Alkimos Respectful Relationships Team
References and Resources:
- CASEL (2020). The CASEL Guide to Schoolwide SEL – https://casel.org
- Berkowitz, M. & Bier, M. (2005). What Works in Character Education. Character Education Partnership.
- Dan Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson. The Whole-Brain Child (2012). Bantam Books.
- Australian Student Wellbeing Framework – https://studentwellbeinghub.edu.au
- eSafety Commissioner. Respectful Online Behaviour – https://www.esafety.gov.au/kids
Kind regards,
Alkimos Primary School - Respectful Relationships Team
Dear families,
Wow, term 2 already. We hope everyone had a great Easter break.
The P&C ended last term with a Subway lunch and Easter raffle. Thank you to everyone who supported these events, you helped us raise a total of $1840.38.
Congratulations to all the winners of the Easter raffle, we hope you all enjoyed your prizes: Quinn, Oscar, Jean & Elodie, Loretta, Sonny, Primrose, David, Angela, Layla & Cobain.
The winners of our Easter colouring competition were also announced at the school’s Easter Hat Parade. There were so many wonderful entries, it was very hard to choose just one from each year, but we would like to congratulate each of our winners:
Kindy – Kai
Pre-primary – Zoey
Year 1 – Everleigh
Year 2 – George
Year 3 – Aria
Year 4 – Katrina
Year 5 – Vivienne
Year 6 – Alannah
We then started term 2 with our Mother’s Day stall & raffle, and it was lovely seeing all the students coming out to choose gifts. We hope everyone had a wonderful Mother’s Day and that you all loved your gifts. The Mother’s Day raffle was drawn last Friday, and we would like to congratulate the winners and we hope you enjoy your prizes: 1st – Jayce, 2nd – Akira, 3rd – Hudson.
Our Mother’s Day events raised a total of $2150.71. Thank you again to everyone who purchased a ticket or came and visited us at the stall, your support of our events is amazing.
Atlantis Fun Night
The Atlantis Fun Night is BACK!!
On Saturday 24 May, the P&C will be holding their Atlantis Fun Night. There are two sessions available on the night, which are both open for all Kindy to Year 6 students of Alkimos Primary School, plus their siblings (12 years and under).
- Session 1, 4:00-5:30pm
Tickets are $12 each (plus fees). Fruit platters will be available during the event, plus everyone will receive a pop top and lolly bag at the end of the session.
To purchase tickets to this session please go to: https://www.trybooking.com/DBRSF
- Session 2, 5:45-7:30pm
Tickets are $15 each (plus fees), and include 2 slices of pizza and a pop top.
To purchase tickets to this session please go to: https://www.trybooking.com/DBRSG
Parents are welcome to stay, or students can be dropped off and collected at the end. Volunteers are needed to help supervise during each event, so if you are happy to help, please put your name down at https://signup.zone/M36vfP56c8BB6BYg
Pyjama Disco Party
Save the date for our first disco of the year, which is coming up on Saturday 28 June. We have themed this one after some suggestions made last year, and will be having a Pyjama Disco Party. Full details will come out early June.
Term 2 events:
24 May – Atlantis Fun Night
10 Jun – Crazy Hair/Sock day (Kindy Green)
13 Jun – Crazy Hair/Sock day (Whole school)
28 Jun – School Disco: PJ themed
Don’t forget to keep an eye out on our socials for information regarding all our events!
Kind regards,
Alkimos Primary School P&C
Facebook: alkimospandc
Instagram: #alkpnc
Hello Alkimos PS Families,
We’ve had such an incredible time during the school holidays and the start of Term 2—we’re excited to share all the fun and learning your children have been part of!
Easter Celebrations & Creative Crafts
We began the holidays with an exciting Easter Egg Hunt and enjoyed getting crafty with a range of Easter-themed activities.
Adventure at Ballajura Intergenerational Playground
The children explored epic slides, climbing zones, water play, flying foxes and beautiful nature spaces—it was a huge hit!
African Drumming Incursion
We felt the beat on the holidays! The children learned rhythms and had a blast playing African drums together.
West Australian Reptile Park Visit
From holding snakes and lizards to spotting crocodiles, dingoes, and emus—this experience was wild! They even learned some First Aid for snake bites.
Wanneroo Therapeutic Centre & Riding School
One of our excursions brought us face-to-face with friendly horses, goats, sheep, and alpacas. The children loved feeding, brushing and connecting with the animals.
Lego Masters Competition
Creativity soared on Wednesday as our little engineers took part in our annual Lego Masters Challenge—such impressive skills on display!
Minecraft Movie Excursion & ANZAC Art
We wrapped up the holidays with a trip to the cinema and later painted beautiful poppy artworks to commemorate ANZAC Day.
Welcome to Term 2!
Last week, the children opened their own Atlantis Vet Clinic, using their imaginations to care for toy animals. We also enjoyed energetic Just Dance sessions and started each morning with peaceful yoga.
We can’t wait for more adventures, creativity, and connection this term!!
Warm regards,
The Atlantis OSHC Alkimos Team
Kind regards,
Atlantis OSHC Alkimos Team
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.
|
Term 1 |
(holidays Saturday 12th April – Sunday 27th April) |
|
Term 2 |
(holidays Saturday 5th July – Sunday 20th July) |
|
Term 3 |
(holidays Saturday 27th Sept – Sunday 12th October) |
|
Term 4 |
(holidays Friday 19th Dec – Monday 2nd February 26) |
|
School Development Days (Subject to Change) Friday 30th May (Week 5, Term 2) Friday 29th August (Week 6, Term 3) Friday 14th November (Week 5, Term 4) |
|
Alkimos Support a Reader Program
Are you able to volunteer some of your time to assist with Reading?
The aim of the Support a Reader Program is to give children who need additional assistance with their reading the opportunity to read regularly with a supportive adult on a one-to-one basis.
We would like to invite parent volunteers to be involved in this very valuable program next term. A commitment of one hour per week would be required. Full training will be given prior to the commencement of the program.
Please see Mrs Cottam (ECE6) to register your interest or leave your details and availability with the ladies in the office.
