Term 4 - Issue 1 2024
Our Vision
WE INSPIRE ALL STUDENTS IN A SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT AND ENCOURAGE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SUCCESS
Principal's Article
Hello Westminster Community,
As the weather warms up, it’s a timely reminder for all families to ensure students are bringing their hats to school and applying sunscreen before arriving each day. Staying sun-safe is especially important as we enjoy more outdoor activities.
Our Senior students had an incredible experience at their swimming lessons this term. A big thank you goes out to all the staff who jumped in the pool to support our students. Without your dedication and willingness to get into the water, these lessons simply wouldn’t be possible, so we appreciate all your hard work!
We also had an exciting time celebrating STEAM Week! Highlights of the week included a dynamic drumming incursion, a creative Remida incursion, and a stunning Art Display in the library. A special thank you goes to Claire and Nicole Hall for their fantastic efforts in organising this week of celebration and learning.
On Wednesday, I accompanied our Student Councillors on an excursion to Parliament House. This was a fabulous opportunity for our students to bond with the mainstream Student Councillors and our local member, Mr. David Michael. The students enjoyed a fine dining experience and even got to visit the Chamber while Parliament was sitting! It was truly an experience of a lifetime for our students. A big thank you to Mr. David Michael for the invitation, spending time with us, and answering all of our questions.
As always, Term 4 is a busy time at WESC. Here’s what’s coming up:
- ESNN Senior Carnival – 5th November 2024
- Outdoor Classroom Day – 22nd October 2024
- Book Award Assembly – 29th November 2024
- Graduation Assembly – 6th December 2024, where we will bid a fond farewell to our Year 6 students.
Another special event on our calendar is Stepping Up Day on 11th December 2024. On this day, all students will participate in transition activities with their new teachers for 2025. It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to get to know their new classes and teachers for the upcoming year.
We will cap off the term with our annual Christmas Picnic, featuring a special visit from Santa and, for the grand finale, a Foam Party! So, don’t forget to pack your bathers for a day of fun and festivities.
Lastly, this week we farewelled our much-loved Brooke, our School Officer, who is leaving us to prepare for the arrival of baby number three. Brooke has been a wonderful part of our team and will be dearly missed by all. We wish her all the very best for the arrival of her little girl and look forward to welcoming Brooke back to WESC in 2025.
Thank you all for your continued support as we navigate this busy term. We look forward to seeing everyone at our upcoming events!
Warm regards,
Carmen Lopez
Kambarang Season
FLOWERING SEASON
SEASON OF BIRTH
OCTOBER & NOVEMBER
COLOUR - YELLOW
During the transition from Djilba to Kambarang Season, the weather rises in temperature with increasingly warm to hot dry days and less cold fronts coming from the coast. Wildflowers Djet Malkakoom, flower this time of year and an abundance of colour is displayed across country Boodja and where the bees and small birds busy themselves with nectar collection. The long tall flowering stalks of the great Balga grass tree (Xanthorrhoea preissii) are prevalent this time of year pointing to the sky
With the weather warming, reptiles such as Karda (Goanna), Noorn (dugite), Wakarl (Carpet Snake), Nornt (Tiger Snake) and Yoorn (Bobtail) emerge from their Seasonal hibernation looking for food and a warm place to reproduce.
The Koolbardi (Magpie) are noticeably protective of their newly born offspring and bush animals that rely on the receding fresh water sources could be found by traditional hunters who sustainably collected water fowl eggs, frogs, tortoises and marron. Traditionally, people would also move closer towards coastal areas, catching fish, crabs and shellfish to supplement their diet, where the whale migration along the Western Australian coastline is occurring.
News from Birak 4
Term 4 has arrived quicker than expected. Our students in Room Birak 4 started the new term with excitement, enjoying and having fun with the new trampolines and the wooden climbing fort next to the basketball court.
Room Birak 4 has been very busy these first two weeks, participating in swimming lessons and activities like the African Drums Incursion, REMIDA, with Ms. Hall, where our students used recycled materials to create their own bug designs; and our students Art Gallery in the Library, with their beautiful and colourful displays of art; exhibiting the best of their imagination and making us all feel so proud of their dedicated work and achievements in Art sessions with Ms. Deans.
For Maths, our students enjoy interacting on the smartboard with maths games and activities, as well as using a variety of resources like MAB Blocks, money, hundred chart for counting and adding for better understanding.
Birak 4 has welcomed with kindness our new student to our classroom and have been from the very beginning keen to share their time playing and learning a variety of activities with our new student, as well as socialising and building positive relationships.
Our students in Room Birak 4 have had a great start in English and Maths.
For English, they have been presenting morning news to their peers and teachers with topics of everyday life: their favourite activities, likes and dislikes; speaking about what they did on their holidays, exchanging ideas and asking questions about the topic.
Our students enjoy reading books of their choice from the library.
In the afternoons, our students have been engaged with subjects like HASS, learning about the different places in the Americas; AUSLAN, signing greetings and the alphabet; Social Skills, learning about good manners, and Health where safe and unsafe situation topics have been learnt.
We are looking forward to a busy and engaging Term 4 with lots of opportunities for success, rewards, fun, and fantastic new achievements in the learning of new topics from the start of this Term 4 until the end of this year 2024.
Well done Birak 4, keep up the good work!
African Drumming Incursion
Remida Incursion
PBS
This fortnight's PBS lesson is 'We Stay together with the Class', which falls under the 'We are Safe' expectation.
Kindergarten 2025
Sorrento Surf Lifesaving Club
Uniforms
Voluntary Contributions
Voluntary Contributions - Kindy to Year 6
$30.00 – Per Student
Payment of Voluntary Contributions can be made with your child’s 2024 booklist or by direct deposit (see below) or cash (with exact money) at the office between 8.00am and 4.00pm, Monday to Friday a receipt will be forwarded on request. Our Bank details for EFT: Westminster Education Support Centre Bank: Commonwealth Bank BSB : 066-040 Acct : 19900532 Reference: Child’s Initial and Last Name Description: Contributions Thankyou to those who have already paid! |
School Board Members
Chair Person | Susan Beltman |
School Members | Carmen Lopez Suzette Boeyen Janice Tilbrook Raphaela Shilo Gokula Sundararaman |
Parent Members | Vanessa Garland |
Community Members | John O’Rourke Krista Kerr Jia White Cailey Dandrea Julie Allsopp |