Newsletter 2

From the Principal

Dear Waddington Families,

It is difficult to believe that we are already at the halfway point in Term 1, 2025. The start of the year has been positive – thank you so much to the parents who came along to watch the Chung Wah Associations fabulous Lion Dance. The students still talk about it. I was told that the more lettuce thrown by the Lion that I can catch, the more luck we have. I managed to grab a fair bundle, so fingers crossed we have the best year yet! 

The goal that drives all educators is of course, student outcomes. Although the Department measures student outcomes by their curriculum attainment, we understand that there is a whole child. We work hard in a holistic way to understand that children need to feel ready to learn, feel safe emotionally and physically, have realistic targets and challenge themselves at the right time. Getting uncomfortable is part of building resilience which we all need to face the inevitable difficulties that come along. Waddington Staff are soon to embark on the second module of our Berry Street Education Model training at Balga PS on Friday 28^th March. This is noted in your calendar as a Staff Development Day. This will upskill staff on positive relational classroom management strategies that promote students to stay on task and learn effectively. 

In the coming weeks, I will be looking at our student attendance and punctuality. Students in classrooms is a priority for me. I understand that sickness happens, and of course, time at home is needed to recuperate. However, absences build which accumulates into hours of education that a child has not had access to. This puts them at a disadvantage to their peers, creating a gap in learning, which as they move up through school life becomes harder and harder to close. Please come and chat with me or Mrs Fairhead if you have any concerns or need support with your morning routine. 

Congratulations to our student leaders who received their badges on Friday. This is an exciting opportunity for them. I would also like to say a big well done to all of the Year 5 and Year 6 students who prepared and delivered their speeches to a large audience of staff and students. This is no small feat. Everyone who participates is to be commended. This is absolutely one of those times when a measure of success is not measured by the outcome, but by having the courage to take part.

A quick reminder for anyone who has not completed the Be You survey that was sent out a few weeks ago. A link will be attached to this letter. This is anonymous. The purpose is to find out how we can support you more effectively, what is working/not working. As your community school, your voice influences how we operate and is important.

A few changes in dates for you to note: Harmony Day was going to be held on the 21st March, however this still falls inside Ramadan which will mean that some of our families and students will not be able to take part in our annual whole school picnic. The new date will be sent out as soon as possible so that you can plan ahead. Also, the ANZAC assembly will be held on Wednesday 9^th April at 1.45pm. You are all invited to attend this special event. 

Please follow us on Facebook and check out our website for the latest news and upcoming events.

With warm wishes to you all,

Ms Katherine Chivers 

Principal

From the Administration Team

Term Planner

Please see below important dates for Term 1 2025. They are subject to change so please keep up-to-date by checking the school website calendar regularly.

Important Dates

10 March 2025 – Newsletter 2 published

12 March 2025 – NAPLAN testing commences

24 March 2025 – NAPLAN testing ends

25 March 2025 – Family Afternoon Tea 1.45pm – 2.30pm

28 March 2025 – Staff Development Day – Students do not attend

9 April 2025 – ANZAC Day assembly 1.45pm

11 April 2025 – Term 1 2025 ends

28 April 2025 – Term 2 2025 commences – Staff and Students return

Clean up Australia Day – Thank you!

A big thank you to all the students who participated in Clean up Australia day on 28 February 2025. Your efforts are appreciated!

IMPORTANT – Student Update Forms and Reminder of Unpaid Billing items

Today students will be bringing home a printed copy of their student details and a reminder of unpaid billing items.

Please check your child’s bag, review all the information, make any corrections, sign/date and return to the front office by Monday 24/03/25. Even if there are no changes to your details, please sign/date and return to the front office by the same date.
 
We need to ensure we have correct residential addresses and contact details for all families in the event of an emergency.

For any unpaid billing items, payments can be made via direct transfer to the bank details below or cash at the front office (correct money preferred as the office is unable to give change in most instances).

Student Health Care at school

Please see below important information regarding how the school can care for your child where they have medical / health conditions.

Grab a Bag – Gold Coin Donation – 19 March 2025

Mark this in your calendars! Come along and pick up a bargain, whilst helping the school at the same time.

Free internet for unconnected families with school-aged students

School Student Broadband Initiative provides free home internet for unconnected families with school-aged students until 31 December 2025. 

The Australian Government School Student Broadband Initiative (SSBI) is offering free home internet for eligible families with school-aged students until 31 December 2025.

To be eligible, families must:

• have no active broadband service
• have a device capable of accessing the internet
• live in premises where they can access a standard NBN service
• have a child living at home who is enrolled in an Australian school.

The free broadband starts from the day the service is activated with a participating internet provider. Families will not be placed on a paid service by the internet provider at the end of the free service without consent.

For more information and a list of participating internet providers, visit NBN Co School Student Broadband Initiative or call 1800 626 269.

If you think you are eligible and want to self-nominate for the free broadband offer:

• call the National Referral Centre on 1800 954 610 (Monday to Friday, 10 am to 6 pm Australian Eastern Daylight-saving Time)
• visit the School Student Broadband Initiative website.

For technical support in more than 100 regional and remote communities throughout Western Australia, contact your local Community Resource Centre.

Attendance – Everyday counts!

Breakfast Club – Thank you Woolworths Mirrabooka!

We would like to acknowledge with thanks Woolworths Mirrabooka for supporting our schools breakfast club, our students appreciate you!

Room 9 – Learning about Colours, Spiders and How Things Move!

Term One is a busy time in Room 9, as we start school back (some of us for the first time) There is so much to remember but we have grown in our confidence and capabilities already.  We have gone from needing reminders to now completing the morning routines and tasks, like writing our names and practising our fine motor skills all by ourselves. During our morning circle we enjoy singing the Wanjoo song, our singing voices are really starting to shine.

As part of our Literacy program we are learning about the structure of a Nursery Rhyme. We walked into class after one weekend and Incy Wincy had made his home on one of our pin up boards! We have learnt the rhyme with actions, and in the following weeks we try to create our own rhyme by changing a part of Incy Wincy. We have created spiders out of hand prints and webs out of wool. At the playdough table we have enjoyed making 8 legged spiders with pipe cleaners and googly eyes.

In Visual Art we have been focusing on naming colours as well as labelling them as primary and secondary. We have investigated the process of colour mixing with various mediums – coloured water, paint on paper towel and textas on coffee filters.  We went on a colour hunt around the school, matching colour cards to objects or structures.

During Science we have been focusing on how things move. We have investigated how objects can be pushed and pulled. We took some pictures in the playground of us pushing our friends on the swings or pulling them on our trikes. We then moved onto being able to describe how a push and pull change an objects direction. As a class we made a human pinball machine, as we stood in a circle and moved a ball around. In small groups we then made a pinball game on a tray with blocks to investigate how a marble would change directions if it hit a block.

We really enjoy building and playing in the dramatic play corner with our friends. There have been many delicious meals created and shared in our kitchen. We can now describe the food we are making to our friends, and include the ingredients we used to make it. Our block towers are growing taller alongside us as we are learning to place the last few blocks really carefully, otherwise our tower seems to topple!

In Room 9 we love to care for living things. This is a big part of respecting our classroom and community. We took part of schools clean up day, picking up rubbish, pulling some weeds from our garden and watering. There are so many ways we get to practise our cutting skills when trimming the dead leaves, maths skills when counting the birds on the fence and literacy skills when describing the spider we are looking at under a magnifying glass.

Learning really is everywhere and we are so eager to learn everything there is to know!

Community Notices

KidSport

KidSport enables eligible Western Australian children aged 5 to 18 years to participate in community sport by offering them financial assistance of up to $500 per financial year towards club fees.

Eligibility

All Western Australian children aged 5 to 18 with a valid Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card.

Amount available

• KidSport application: $500

How Kid Sport works

Parents and guardians can apply for KidSport online.

KidSport applications are assessed by the local government in which the child resides or by the KidSport team at DLGSC. If an application is approved, the KidSport team will email you a voucher (unique to the child). The voucher code needs to be provided to  your KidSport Club when registering. Vouchers can be used as payment for registration, membership or participation fees. Where the KidSport Club has opted in, vouchers can also be used for essential uniform and equipment costs. All vouchers are valid for 90 days.

KidSport can be applied for online and applications are assessed within 10 business days.

If an application is approved, the parents will receive a code (unique to the application) via email.

The code needs to be provided to the club so that the approved amount can be deducted from the registration fees.

Contact the KidSport team on 61 8 9492 9911 or emailing kidsport@dlgsc.wa.gov.au.

For more information about the program and to apply go to the KidSport website – http://www.dlgsc.wa.gov.au/kidsport.

WA Rent Relief Program

Please see below a new program created by the WA Government, Anglicare WA and Vinnies. Call 1800 979 777 for further information.

City of Wanneroo Programs

Please see below flyers for various programs and activities around the City of Wanneroo that may be of interest to families.

Roseworth Child and Parent Centre – Term 1 2025 Timetable

Please see below flyers for the Roseworth Child and Parent Centre Term 1 2025 activities.