Celebrating Book Week 2025
Last Friday, our school community came together to celebrate the magic of books during our annual Book Week celebrations. We were truly impressed with the wonderful participation from our students, who embraced the spirit of the day with creativity and enthusiasm.
At the heart of Book Week is the importance of nurturing a love of reading in our young learners. Reading opens doors to imagination, knowledge and lifelong learning. When we spend quality time reading with our children, we are not only strengthening their literacy skills but also giving them the gift of stories, curiosity and shared moments together. It is, without doubt, one of the greatest gifts we can give them.
We were also delighted by the fantastic turnout of parents and families who joined us for our Book Week Parade. Your support made the event even more special for the children and it was heartening to see so many smiling faces in the crowd. In fact, the event was so well attended that we are beginning to wonder whether we may have outgrown our current venue in the Primary Forum! Moving forward, we will explore the possibility of holding the parade in a larger space to ensure everyone can comfortably share in this joyful celebration.
A special shout-out goes to Ms Oliver and our dedicated Library staff for their outstanding effort in bringing the parade together and for leading the many engaging activities throughout the week. Their creativity, organisation and passion for books ensured that our students experienced a truly memorable Book Week.
A huge thank you to our staff, students and families for making Book Week such a wonderful occasion. Together, we are building a culture of reading that will inspire our children for years to come.
Madame Pilote Mrs Langley Mr Andrews
OSH Club Bake Sale – A Heartfelt Thank You
We would like to sincerely thank all our parents and families for their incredible support of the OSH Club Bake Sale held yesterday in honour of Abbie Quinn, a much-loved member of our OSH Club team and a cherished part of the St Stephen’s School community.
Your generosity, kindness and willingness to come together not only made this event a success but also honoured Abbie’s memory in the most meaningful way. We are deeply grateful for the care shown by our community.
All proceeds from the bake sale will go directly to the Cancer Council, helping to fund vital cancer research, prevention initiatives and support services for individuals and families affected by cancer.
From the bottom of our heart, THANK YOU!
Father’s Day Stall
Children’s University
Check out this play challenge I found on the CU portal – they are always adding new things 😊
Up for a play challenge? We’ve got 9 of them to choose from!
The Play Advisor at Palmerston North City Council in Te Papaioea/Palmerston North, has come up with some special play challenges for you to try.
- See the attached Power of Play Challenge activity sheet.
- Choose one, or as many challenges as you like, to complete.
- For each challenge you complete, show a photo/drawing/file of the evidence that shows you did it to your School Coordinator.
Each challenge you complete earns you 30 minutes in your Passport to Learning.
- Play is a powerful way to learn, stay active, and spark your imagination! Explore different types of play and think about how you can help make your school and neighbourhood more playful for everyone. Play isn’t just fun—it helps build the creativity, confidence, and problem-solving skills that will support you throughout life.
- And don’t forget—you’re never too old to play! In fact, one of your most important jobs is reminding the adults in your life that play matters at every age!
Primary Interhouse Athletics Carnival
Date: Friday 29 August (Week 5, Term 3)
Time: 8.25am – 3.20pm
Students in Year 1 – 6 need to arrive at school no later than 8.20am.
Please note: Our Kindy and Pre-Primary students will only be involved in morning activities. At approximately 9.30am, the Kindy and Pre-Primary students will participate in team games in their own sectioned off area on the oval.
Location: St Stephen’s School Carramar – Oval
What to Wear:
- Sport Uniform
- Appropriate sports shoes (no athletics spikes permitted, rubber athletics shoes only)
- Clearly labelled St Stephen’s School hat
- Clearly labelled St Stephen’s School jacket and/or tracksuit pants
What to Bring:
- Clearly labelled water bottle
- Students must bring all food and drinks they will need for the day. A meal deal will be available from the Canteen.
- Clearly labelled bag containing all their requirements for the day.
- If your child has asthma, please ensure they bring their own inhaler.
Timetable of Events:
Family Picnic
We will break for lunch from 12.30pm – 1pm. During this time, students will be invited to eat lunch with their families if they have a family member spectating. Students who do not have a family member spectating will need to remain in their House Bay for the lunch break. Parents/guardians will not be permitted in the House Bays designated for students.
Students who would like to participate in the optional 400m and 800m events must make their way down to the oval at the times listed above. Parents/guardians are permitted to spectate the events from a distance but must not interfere with the children and races. Results from our 400m and 800m events will contribute to overall House and individual athletics carnival points.
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS…
Can I spectate the Primary Athletics Carnival?
Families are welcome and encouraged to spectate the Primary Athletics Carnival. There will be a designated spectating area for families near the finish line. Spectators are not permitted in the House Bays designated for students and staff only. Spectators will need to bring their own chairs and/or picnic rugs for the spectating area. Spectators are welcome to
make their way around the oval to spectate the field events and team games, but please be mindful of track events and races that are taking place throughout the day.
Can I take photos/videos?
Parents/guardians may take photo or video recordings of their own child/children (provided other students are not identifiable and the images are not shared on social media). No photo or video recording is to be used as evidence for results or appeal. The judge’s decision is final. Disputing with officials sets a poor example for children and undermines the spirit of fair play.
Which events will my child be participating in?
Every child will have the opportunity to participate in every event at our Primary Athletics Carnival. We look forward to a day filled with enthusiasm, effort and enjoyment as our students take part in every event, in the spirit of fair play and inclusivity.
How does the House point and ribbon system work at the Athletics Carnival?
- Every student in Year 1 – 6 who participates in an individual event will receive at least 2 house points for their efforts.
- In our individual track and field events, students will receive house points and individual points based on their overall placings (times or distances).
- 1stplace: 10 points, 2nd place: 9 points, 3rd place: 8 points, 4th place: 7 points, 5th place: 6 points, 6th place: 5 points, 7th: 4 points, 8th: place 3 points, 9th place onwards: 2 points.
- It is important to note and explain to your child that some year groups will have multiple heats for track events. House points and place ribbons will be allocated and presented to students after all 50m, 100m or 200m heats have been run.
- For example– there may be three 100m race heats for the Year 3 girls category. If a student in Heat C runs the fastest time overall out of all runners in Heat A, B and C, then the student from Heat C will be awarded with 10 house points and the 1st place ribbon.
We encourage you to remind your child that the true spirit of our Athletics Carnival lies in participation, effort and enjoyment, rather than simply winning a ribbon. Celebrating personal achievements, effort and improvement fosters a positive and inclusive atmosphere where every child feels valued and proud of their own individual accomplishments. Emphasise the importance of doing your best, supporting others and having fun!
When is the Interschool Athletics Carnival?
The Year 3 – 6 NIPSSA Interschool Athletics Carnival will take place on Tuesday the 23 and Wednesday the 24 of September. The Interschool Athletics Team will be selected from the results at our Interhouse Athletics Carnival. More information about the carnival will be sent out via Consent2Go once the team has been selected.
Little Athletics is a fantastic way to keep fit and builds the foundation skills of running, jumping and throwing, which are all transferable to other sports. If your child is interested in participating in Little Athletics outside of school, Joondalup Little Athletics Centre is a fantastic local club – https://www.joondalupathletics.com.au The WA Little Athletics season runs from October until March.
If your child is going to be absent on Friday 29 August, please advise ASAP via email at kaliah.nicol@ststephens.wa.edu.au, as this helps with the planning of our event.
We look forward to seeing our students participate in the 2025 Interhouse Athletics Carnival!
Miss Kaliah Nicol – Primary Physical Education Teacher
WEEK 4 Running Club House Points
(drum roll please…)
|
CHARIS |
MAKARIA | PARRESIA |
| 22 | 27 |
75 |
Congratulations to PARRESIA for running the most laps in Week 4!
100 LAPS CLUB
Congratulations to:
Oliver Turton (Year 3) for completing 100 laps on his running club card
Jayden Drew (Year 6) for completing 300 laps on his running club card
Outstanding effort and commitment to Caleigh Schoeman (Year 3) for completing 800 laps on her running club card.
Well done everyone!
Vietnam Tour Sausage Sizzle Fundraiser
Scholastic Book Club
The last day for book club orders is Tuesday 9 September