Welcome back to Term 3!
We hope you have had a good break over the last three weeks. Staff enjoyed a week of Professional Development and the opportunity to prepare for the upcoming term before the students return. The range of professional development for staff was extensive with some fantastic speakers sharing their knowledge and expertise. We look forward to implementing some of this learning in our teaching space.
Naidoc Week
During the school holidays, the nation celebrated Naidoc. As we were not at school, we will be having a week of Naidoc activities and events. On Thursday, the Primary students will have a special event taking place and can come to school wearing Naidoc colours – Red, Yellow and Black.
Assemblies and Worships.
As we currently have increased infections of flu and Covid in our community, we have decided to continue holding our school gatherings with reduced year levels. Please keep an eye on your child’s class blog to keep up to date with when your child’s year group is attending.
We are really looking forward to students returning tomorrow and seeing you all back at school.
Until tomorrow, have a lovely day.
Hannah Lockwood-Jones & Andrew Johnston.
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)
Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).
Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:
· year of schooling
· category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
· level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.
This information assists schools to:
· formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
· consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
· develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.
The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.
The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy(https://www.dese.gov.au/about-us/resources/department-education-skills-and-employment-complete-privacy-policy-0).
Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal (https://www.nccd.edu.au).
If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact the school.
Basketball – Free Clinics After School – FULL
Unfortunately the maximum number of 30 students has been reached. I can see by the response that basketball is very popular. If funding is granted next term, then I will organize another basketball clinic for the students that missed out.
The students that have received a position for the basketball are in the table below. The first session begins on Tuesday 2 August, 3:15p to 4p, Primary basketball courts.
In Term 3, all students from year 3 to 6 will participate in our Inter House Athletics Carnival. The carnival is held over two days.
Tuesday 30 August – jumps, throws, 800m
Friday 2 September – sprints, team games
In preparation for the carnival and as a supplement to the Physical Education lessons, all students are welcome to attend the following training sessions. You do not need to notify me of your attendance.
- Sprint training with Mrs Sharon Baird – 8am on Primary Oval – four sessions – Tuesday 2 August, Tuesday 9 August, Tuesday 16 August, Tuesday 23 August
- Long Jump, Shot Put, Turbo Javelin with Mr Daniel Parker and Mr Mark Fitzgerald(parent help would be welcomed if you are available) – 7:45am on Hamer Oval – three sessions – Friday 12 August, Friday 19 August, Friday 26 August
BEFORE SCHOOL TENNIS SESSIONS
Floorball – ONLY YEAR 6 – free sessions after school
I would like to offer floorball sessions to year 6 students after school on Thursdays this term. The sessions will begin at 3:20pm and finish at 4:20pm and are held in the high school gym. Students meet outside the primary office at the end of the school day and are then escorted up to the gym. The students play rotational games of floorball over the one hour period. What is floorball? – it’s like ice hockey without the skating and physicality and using a whiffle ball instead of a puck. The first session will begin on Thursday 18 August and will continue to the end of term. There will not be a session on Thursday 1 September due to athletics carnival the next day. Priority will be given to the first 15 responses. If we do not get enough numbers through year 6, then the offer will be extended to the year 5s.
Bike Education – Year 5 and 6 ONLY – early warning for term 4
Dear Year 5 and 6 Parents
In weeks 2 and 3 of term 4(week of 17 Oct and 24 Oct), Year 5 and 6 students will participate in Bike Education lessons.
For Year 6 students, the lessons will serve as preparation for a potential end of year excursion.
Year 5 and 6 students will participate in Bike Education lessons at school during their PE classes.
The lesson dates and times are as follows:
5M – Tue 18 Oct: 11a-12:20p, Tue 25 Oct: 11a-12:20p
5L – Wed 19 Oct: 9:20a-10:40a, Wed 26 Oct: 9:20a-10:40a
5R – Thurs 20 Oct: 9:20a-10:40a, Thurs 27 Oct: 9:20a-10:40a
6L – Mon 17 Oct: 1:40p-3p, Mon 24 Oct: 1:40p-3p
6O – Tue 18 Oct: 8:40a-10a, Tue 25 Oct: 8:40a-10a
6F – Tue 18 Oct: 1:40p-3p, Tue 25 Oct: 1:40p-3p
Students will need a bike and helmet for these lessons. Please note that I am not suggesting that a bike needs to be purchased, simply, students will need access to a functional bike for those lessons. If you choose to purchase, the Stirling Tip is a fantastic place to pick up an absolute bargain.
My reasons for notice…
- Students will need access to a functional bike, that will need to be brought to school for the two lessons. I would prefer that all bikes be taken home at the end of each day, however I realise that this will not always be possible and attempts will be made to try and accommodate students unable to take their bikes home. The lessons at school will at times be on a hard surface and other times on grass or sand, so a mountain bike or bmx would be preferable, however not a necessity.
- Students who are not competent on a bike, or are not able to display endurance on the bike during the lessons, may struggle to fully participate. If your child is not yet competent on their bike, please take the time available to prepare them for a significant ride as it is not my wish that any student misses out. Please note that this is also an aspect of PE that I assess on.
Please let me know at daniel.parker@ststephens.wa.edu.au if you have any questions or concerns.
2022 Inter House Athletics Carnival
Tuesday 30 August – jumps, throws, 800m
Friday 2 September – sprints, team games
Parents, even though it’s still a fair way off, can you please read below in preparation for the two day carnival.
1. please notify me at daniel.parker@ststephens.wa.edu.au if you are able to help with the Tuesday jumps and throws. Help would simply involve measuring with the aid of high school students and a class teacher. There are two sessions – session 1 from 8:35am to 10:40am and session 2 from 11am to 1pm. You can volunteer for one session or both sessions. It will be possible for you to disappear for a moment so that you can witness your child’s efforts in another event.
2. please notify me at daniel.parker@ststephens.wa.edu.au if your child is unable to participate on the Friday sprints and team games day. Soon I will be trying to create the program and it will save me significant time if I am made aware of any students that will not be participating. Bearing in mind that this is a compulsory event.
Music Notes
Interhouse Music Festival
The Interhouse Music Festival will be taking place this term on Wednesday 24 August (Week 5). Students are encouraged to perform as soloists and in small groups for an adjudicator. Points are awarded to contribute to the winning house for 2022.
Entry forms are available through the link below or from the front office and music department.
All entry forms are due in by 3:30pm Wednesday 17 August in the Primary Office.
Semester 2 Music Calendar
Below is a link to an overview of ensembles and their rehearsal times and important dates for this semester.
Any students interested in singing are welcome to join Primary Chorale (ELC – year 4) or Chamber Choir (Year 5 and 6) in second semester. Come along to the first rehearsal this semester to give it a try.