Issue 16 - 2nd November

Principal's Message

Dear Parents/Carers

Last week it was great to see our students out and about in the community. All of our students attended their first ten pin bowling excursion and ESC3 & 4 went to Yokine Reserve, taking advantage of the sunshine. On Friday 30th October, it was world Teachers Day, we held a lovely  morning tea to celebrate our teachers, and they were presented with cards created by the students. Also on Friday, our senior students participated in "Day for Daniel"  by wearing red to school, to raise awareness of child safety, protection, and harm prevention.

This week Bowling and the park visit to Yokine reserve continues, as well as Barking Gecko and we are holding an Outdoor Classroom Day on Thursday which promotes nature play amongst our students, a highlight of this being some of our students will be appearing in the West Australian newspaper.

Some of you may already know I am the Education Support Network North Principal and part of my role is to invite guest speakers to our Principal meetings. On Friday we had the Director General Lisa Rodgers attend our meeting for the first time. Over 30 Principals and Associates had an opportunity to discuss some of the changes which were happening in our sector with the Director General. This provided a really positive forum for discussion, with the possibility for Principals in our group to have some input into future planning in our sector. Everyone who attended felt really valued and excited to have the chance to discuss things which will have a positive impact on our students and families.

Uniforms

We hope you all took the opportunity to size up your children for the new uniform. The whole school will certainly look very smart at the start of 2021.  There is a sample of the new uninform on display in our reception area.

Naidoc Art Competion

If you get an opportunity, please check out the NAIDOC Art Competition displayed at Mirrabooka library we have got 6 students work on display and you can vote for your favourite.

P & C

I would like to thank Balga Friday markets who donated $500 to our P&C. If you have never been before, please check out the markets out at Herb Graham Recreation Centre Mirrabooka.

2021 Applications for Transport

Transport assistance applications for 2021 must be submited to SBS via the School Bus Service website www.schoolbuses.wa.gov.au by the 13th November 2020.  SBS cannot guarantee any applications submitted after this date will be processed in time for transport in Term 1 2021.

Kind Regards,

Gary Hobson

Our Vision

Important Dates

News from ESC1

Welcome back to school for term 4 from class members and staff of ESC1.

In ESC1 we will be learning about different materials and the properties of items made from these materials. We have discussed recycling and listened to a story called “My Magnificent Thing” where a child uses different materials to make a magnificent thing. Our class then decided to make our own magnificent things and the resulting castles, robot, monster, rocket, and ship were fantastic. The class proudly took their creations home at the end of last term.

We are learning about community helpers such as doctors, firemen and policemen. Our class enjoyed dressing up as they learned about what these community helpers do, use and wear.

Our cooking program on Fridays continues and the class enjoyed the first recipes of Banana Bread, Potato Cakes and Moon Rocks.

In oral language we have started the term learning about party food and other things we see and do at a party. The class are learning Auslan signing for different foods with the signing for “chips” being the class favourite.

This term we are looking forward to our Thursday excursions to Ten Pin Bowling in Warwick in weeks 3, 4, 5 and 6.

Have a great term everyone and we look forward to seeing friends and family at the end of year assemblies.

Aboriginal Studies with Mrs McCulloch

As a part of the Cross-curriculum priorities we have been learning about and exploring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, culture and identity throughout the year.

In art we have been looking at traditional and some more modern forms of Aboriginal art and how it connects to our own environment.  In HASS we learnt about the local Noongar 6 seasons and where they fit in to the 4 season calendar. We explored the different weather patterns, colours plants and animals we see at different times of the year. We are currently in Kambarang season which is known as the ‘season of birth’. See if you can discover Balga trees which are flowering this time of year.

Throughout the year we have been building up to our NAIDOC week celebration which was moved to term 4 due to Covid. We were lucky enough to have a Wadjuk Noongar artist Julianne visit us in Term 3 to help the students create an Aboriginal inspired art piece which is displayed in our Exploration Hub. Students were explained traditional techniques of Aboriginal Art, art as story-telling and the core symbols present that is represented in Aboriginal art.

In week 2 of Term 4 we had a visit from Yirra Yaakin. The show was about the importance of water to First Nations people around the world. The performance journeyed through global Dreaming stories highlighting the importance of accepting others, the power of empathy and the impact of climate change to the land and the Noongar seasons.

Week 5 is the official NAIDOC week for 2020. The week celebrations are held across Australia usually each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The 2020 theme is Always Was, Always Will Be. This recognises that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for over 65,000 years. Throughout this week we will be reading Dreaming stories and making and creating art to immerse ourselves in these stories.

Some of our Indigenous inspired art has been entered into the Janine NAIDOC Freeman Art competition which will be displayed at Mirrabooka Library from 5^th – 14^th November – keep an eye out for an announcement on the winners!

Book Week Parade

It was wonderful to see so many students and staff dress up as their favourite characters for the Westminster Schools Book Week Parade. All 3 schools joined together in the undercover area to watch each year group show off their amazing costumes as they did a march around. We saw Superheros, pirates, Paddington Bear, Harry Potter, witches, Bob the Builder, Peter Rabbit and many more.

What a great way to start off a Fun Friday!

Be You

Have you heard of My Time?

This week you will receive a pamphlet explaining My Time.

My Time https://www.mytime.net.au/ is a FREE support service for parents of children with disabilities. They have groups all over Australia and it is a support FOR YOU. At My Time you will find other parents who really understand what it’s like to have a child with a disability as well as skilled guidance from facilitators to help you access information and services in your area.

Please visit the website and contact your local group.

Currently there is a My Time group run by the Ethnic Disability Advocacy Centre (EDAC). Details below:

Merit Certificates - Week 3

VacSwim Swimming lessons

For information, please visit: https://www.education.wa.edu.au/vacswim 

Kindergarten 2021

Voluntary Contributions

A big thankyou to those who have already paid these.

Term Planner

School Board Members