7 February 2024

Principal’s Report

Our vision is to foster every individual’s academic and social development driven by high expectations for success and aspirations for them to become resilient, respectful individuals.

Kaya Families

Welcome to the new school year and thank you for your support in creating a wonderful start to the year. Students have settled well into their classes and have been very responsible about being sun safe during our extreme weather conditions. We took as many preventative measures as possible to ensure the children were not exposed to the extreme heat, as you may be aware, this included having lunch breaks inside the classrooms.

Our staff spent the first two days of the term participating in various professional learning sessions to continue to develop our knowledge and skills to create an optimum learning environment. In conjunction with the teaching strategies implemented last year, we have warranted a very positive start to this term, enhancing our high expectations for students in our school.

Staffing

I would like to introduce some new staff members to you;

• Mrs Stephanie Williamson – Deputy Principal
• Mr Warren Brompton - Year 6 Room 10
• Miss Georgia Donohue - Year 5 Room 21
• Mrs Dominique O'Meara - Year 4/5 Room 8
• Miss Cliodhna Finnegan - Monday – Year 3 Room 20 & Friday - Year 3 Room 12
• Mrs Karien Kapp - Wednesday - Kindy Room 6
• Miss Sophie Webb our School Chaplain will be available on Wednesdays & Fridays
• Miss Dana Pringle our School Psychologist will be available on Thursdays & Fridays

I would also like to welcome back staff returning from maternity leave:

• Mrs Tamara Sumegi - Kindy Room 5
• Mrs Louise Geldart - Monday - Year 4 Room 14 and Thursday & Friday Year 3 / 4 Room 14

Welcome back to all our staff:

• Front office staff - Mrs Susan Rose (MCS) and Mrs Helen Proctor (MCS on Wednesdays), Mrs Vanessa Summers, Mrs Janet Metcalf and Mrs Naomi Facey
• Gardener - Mr Michael McDonnell
• Cleaners - Head Cleaner Mrs Hearthy Santiago, Cleaners Mrs Grace Libutan and Mrs Susan Yance
• Mainstream Education Assistants - Mrs Naomi Facey, Ms Ros Highley, Mrs Tania Marshall, Mrs Janet Metcalf, Mrs Vicki Rees, Ms Marilyn Senini and Mrs Sheena Sendziuk
• Special Needs Education Assistants – Mrs Christina Beahan, Mrs Holly Bezant, Mrs Tracy Boyd, Mrs Jolanda Capes, Mrs Gail Esson, Mrs Lyndsey Gallacher, Mrs Heidi Johnsen, Mrs Jo Kincart, Ms Joan Riordan, Mrs Teresa Sanders, Mrs Faye Taylor and Ms Katie Walkerden
• Library Officer – Mrs Lyn Lawrence
• Teachers – Mrs Christina Davies, Mrs Rachel Fitzpatrick, Mrs Jo Hill, Mrs Jess Dunn, Miss Jordyn Colleran, Mrs Lisa Hobson, Mrs Leanne Sneddon, Mrs Melinda Gane, Miss Natalie Hobson, Miss Janelle Avins, Mrs Jo Avery, Ms Lou Lipman, Mrs Sarah Berry, Mr Dan Gane, Mrs Julie Donohue, Mrs Elise Sayers and Mrs Silvia Caratozzolo
• Deputy Principal continuing from last year Mrs Shylie Elliott and
• It is a privilege to be continuing as Principal for 2024

We look forward to a positive year ahead with various exciting activities, learning experiences and community involvement. Thank you to those families who completed the parent surveys last year, along with the student and teacher surveys, we will analyse with staff, the school board and students to seek ways to improve our school environment.

Parents were invited to enter a raffle when they completed the parent survey, to win a $50 voucher from Bunnings. As no parents entered this raffle, we will place the $50 voucher as a prize in the early Voluntary Contribution payment raffle. Families who pay their Voluntary Contribution fee before Friday 28 June will go into a draw to win a voucher for a night at the Joondalup Resort and now, a second prize of a $50 Bunnings voucher. Your child’s name will automatically go into the draw on payment of fee.  Thank you for paying your Voluntary Contributions as these funds go towards all the learning activities we provide to all our students.

Booklists

If you have not yet purchased the required school resources for your child, you can still buy products from NewsXpress at Ocean Keys, contact 9407 8700. If you are having financial difficulties and are unable to fund school supplies please contact the school to discuss how we may be able to assist.

Uniforms

It has been wonderful to see our students in uniform, thank you for your support in preparing them for the start of the year. If you require uniforms, please contact Concepts Uniforms 9270 4656. Uniforms create a connection for our students adding a sense of belonging and equality amongst them all. Please speak to the ladies in the from office if you are having difficulties with obtaining uniforms.

If you have uniforms in good condition that you no longer require and would like to donate to the school, we are happy to accept these for students in need.

It has been wonderful to see our students in uniform, thank you for your support in preparing them for the start of the year. If you require uniforms, please contact Concepts Uniforms 9270 4656. Uniforms create a connection for our students adding a sense of belonging and equality amongst them all. Please speak to the ladies in the from office if you are having difficulties with obtaining uniforms.

If you have uniforms in good condition that you no longer require and would like to donate to the school, we are happy to accept these for students in need.

Attendance

It is crucial to your child’s achievement that they attend school every day. If there is a reason your child does not attend, please contact the school by text 0437 480 486 to inform them of the reason so this can be recorded on the department system. Daily attendance is recorded each morning, a text message is automatically sent to you if your child is not at school. Please reply to the text, so that we remain informed of your child’s situation.

The Department of Education conduct a census data check which is scheduled for the 16^th February. It is important you have notified the school if your child has been absent so they can be included in the census. 

Communication

It is very important that we have your correct details for the purpose of communication, particularly if we need to contact you regarding the welfare of your child. If you have changed address, phone or email please notify the front office.

We use the Seesaw app to keep communication open between parents and teachers, this keeps you informed about your child’s learning.

We use Consent2Go to inform parents of upcoming excursions and incursions. When events are planned you are notified via email and you are required to give your consent for your child to attend.  There is also a link for you to securely process payment. You are also able to make payment by EFTPOS in the front office or directly into the school bank account.

Our Schoolzine newsletter is emailed out every fortnight, providing you with an overview of the events within the school community.

Community

As the year begins, this is an optimum time to reach out to the school community for anyone interested in becoming a member of the School Board or P&C. If you are interested in finding out more information about these roles, please send an email to somerly.ps@education.wa.edu.au

Our P&C are holding their AGM on the 7^th February in the school staffroom at 5:30pm. We would love to see as many interested people there as possible. This meeting is to vote on positions for the P&C team, and welcome in new members.

We are seeking volunteers to run our Breakfast Club, if you are able to spare some time to assist in serving breakfast to our students in the morning, please contact the school. Unfortunately, without volunteers this program cannot continue. We have established a connection with Foodbank to assist in supplying food, however, we need hands in the canteen to make this possible. PLEASE contact the school if you or someone you know would like to assist with Breakfast Club.

The School Board will meet in a few weeks time, if you are interested in becoming a member of the School Board, please email somerly.ps@education.wa.edu.au . We are looking for new family representatives as well as community members. If you know someone who is not a family member of the school community who would like to get involved in our School Board, please ask them to send an email, expressing their interest. Our School Board is made up of a group of individuals who provide sound governance and considered leadership to review school policy, planning and budgeting.

On behalf of all staff at Somerly Primary School we look forward to the year ahead, fostering every child's academic and social development.

Save The Date – Term 1

• 7^th February 5:30pm P&C AGM in the staffroom
• 16^th February Student Census- attendance is recorded to the Department of Education
• 23^rd February – Student Councillors to attend the Dream & Lead Conference
• 26^th Feb- 8^th March swimming for year 5 & 6 students at Yanchep Lagoon. Parents will receive notification on Consent2Go this week. Please ensure your details are up to date. The cost will be $50 per student
• March 4^th Labour Day Public Holiday
• March 13^th – 22^nd NAPLAN for Year 3 & 5 students
• March 22^nd Early School Closure- 11:45am for Parent -Teacher Interviews 12pm– 5:00pm
• March 25^th – 28^th Harmony Week
• March 28^th Term ends

Louise Carroll
A/Principal

Behaviour Focus

Our behaviour focus for Week 2 is:-

Responsibility

• We always walk quickly, quietly and respectfully around our school.

In term Swimming for Year 5 and 6's

In Weeks 5 and 6 students in Years 5 and 6 will be taking part in swimming lessons. These compulsory lessons are part of the Physical Education curriculum. Swimming lessons ensure children develop vital swimming and water safety skills. Students will travel on a bus from school to Yanchep Lagoon for daily lessons over a two-week period. These lessons take place during the school day. Permission and information regarding cost will be made available to families prior to lessons commencing and will be shared on Consent2Go.

NAPLAN 2024

The National Assessment Program – Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is a literacy and numeracy assessment that students in Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 sit each year. It is the only national assessment all Australian students have the opportunity to undertake.

In 2024 NAPLAN testing will take place between 13-25 March for students in Years 3 and 5, and further information will be forwarded to families soon.  

Students are not expected to study for NAPLAN. You can support your child by reassuring them that it is a part of their school program and reminding them to simply do their best. Some explanation of NAPLAN is useful to help students understand and be comfortable with the format of the tests; however, it is not necessary for parents/carers to do this. Teachers will ensure students are familiar with the types of questions in the tests and will provide appropriate support and guidance.

If you have any questions or queries about NAPLAN, please do not hesitate to speak to your child's classroom teacher.

Mrs Stephanie Williamson

If you haven’t seen me around the school yet, I would like to introduce myself. My name is Stephanie Williamson and I am a Deputy Principal joining the Administration team at Somerly Primary School this year. I have been teaching for the last 16 years, moving from the north of England to Perth 10 years ago. I have loved my first week at Somerly and meeting as many of the students and families as I can. 

If you see me around the school, please come and say hi, I would love to meet and have a chat.

I'm looking forward to getting to know the wonderful Somerly PS community this term. 

Waste Wise Schools

Gardening Club

Welcome back everyone and I hope you all have had a wonderful holiday. We have a lot planned for our community garden this year, so stay turned here!

We had a wonderful surprise when we returned to school, we had some butternut pumpkins that have blossomed over the school holidays and are nearly ready to harvest!

This year we are going to be working hard on reducing our food scrap waste at our school. We currently have a FOGO bin (food organics & garden organics) in our classrooms and now we will be placing them outside into our eating areas to reduce more food scrape waste. All our food scraps go into our composting bins in our garden.

Containers For Change

Be the Change! Don’t feed the fill!

Thank you to all our staff, students, and community for continuing to support our Containers for Change challenges!

Congratulations!

2023 Total 51526 containers
2024 Goal 60000 containers!

Welcome back everyone, our staff started off our container’s collections with a holiday challenge raising 2416 containers, what a fantastic start! Thank you!

You must be in it to win it, so bring in your 50 containers to get a ticket into the draw for a Coles $50 voucher!
Drawn week 4 at Monday mornings communication assembly!      
So please help us to Save our Planet Save our Future!
We are the Change!
Our first challenge for the year is one for you parents and carers!

Free Transport Program

Metropolitan area and towns where Smartriders are used

In the metropolitan area and in towns where Smartriders are used, students with a valid Student SmartRider will be able to travel for free on Transperth or Transregional services for any journey Monday to Friday, until the end of the school year.

Students must tag on and off each journey to receive the free travel or they will receive a default fare. If their SmartRider goes into a negative balance as a result, they will not have access to free travel.

Students attending schools located near the Armadale/Thornlie Line have previously received information about Shutdown free travel passes. Students can now access their free travel using their SmartRider instead.

Fare-free Sundays

Fare-free Sundays will be available to everyone with a valid SmartRider card. Fare-free Sundays start on 4 February.

Non-Smartrider towns

In towns where SmartRiders are not used, tickets will no longer be required.

Students who don’t have Smartriders

Some school students don't get their Student SmartRiders until the end of February. If a student does not have a SmartRider on 5 February they will be allowed to travel for free without a valid ticket, however, from 1 March students must have their Student SmartRider to travel for free, or purchase a cash ticket.

When students have received their Student SmartRider they should start using it immediately by tagging on and off each journey to avoid their SmartRider failing to activate.

Road Safety

As we embark on a new school term, it is important to remember the importance of some basic road safety rules around school. Please drive carefully remembering the 40km/h speed zones. Be mindful of children and their parents walking and cycling to school, as well as those students catching buses or waiting to be picked up by parents in vehicles. Schools can be very busy places at drop off and pick up time, and your courtesy and patience are appreciated.

If your child is cycling to school, please talk to them about following the road rules and ALWAYS wearing their helmet.

Students Late to School

If your child arrives late to school, they are missing critical morning routines and learning activities. The school day begins at 8:40am and students will be considered late if they do not arrive by this time. If your child arrives after 9:00am you are required to enter through the front office and provide us with a reason for the lateness. A late slip will be printed for you to give to the class teacher.

Not Feeling Well?

If your child is not feeling well before school, please keep them home and notify the office by phoning 6206 4200, sending an SMS to 0437 480 486 or emailing somerly.ps@education.wa.edu.au.

Late Collection of Students

Somerly Primary School has a student finish time of 2.45pm each day. If your child has not been picked up before 3pm, you will be required to come to the front office to sign them out.

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