11 December 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

This is our final newsletter for 2024, school finishes on Thursday 12^th December. We will celebrate the last day with our Christmas Concert, each year level presenting some festive songs. Families are most welcome to attend, 8:45am in the undercover area. We may even get a special visit from Santa.

The past two weeks we have celebrated two of our important school events:

Book Award Assembly

On 29^th November, our school community came together to recognise and acknowledge students who displayed our school values consistently throughout the year and excelled in various subject areas. Congratulations to those students.  We also announced our 2025 student leadership team.

Student Councillors
Noelia
Braxton
Amie
Austin
Seraphina

Faction Leaders
Alkimos – Jesiah and Bayley-Bree
Centaur – Tien and Cali-Rose
Gemini – Ava and Matthew
Villalta – Indi and Marley

Daily Operations Team
Amelia
Enaj
Hazel
Alyssa
Althea
Sabrina
Kyra

Thank you to the families who stayed and joined us for a morning tea to celebrate with their children.

Year 6 Graduation Ceremony

On Friday 6^th December, our Year 6 students celebrated their graduation ceremony. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to all the 2024 graduates and wish them the very best for the future. We hope they carry with them cherished memories of their time in primary school and look forward to hearing about their many future successes. During the ceremony, several students were recognized for their exceptional contributions and achievements in Year 6. We would like to commend these students for their outstanding achievements. In addition, the Year 6 students attended an excursion to Outback Splash to enjoy a last celebration of their primary years.

Whole School Transition

On Friday 6^th and Wednesday 11^th December, our students and staff participated in a transition afternoon, where all students and teachers visited the classes they have been placed into next year, to meet and greet each other. As well as spend time in their new learning environment, for some this also means a change in play areas. We provide this opportunity to our students to reduce student’s anxiety about next year, giving them some sense of expectation.

Student Reports

Reports will be emailed out to all families on Wednesday 11^th December, please ensure you check all email folders. Please check that your contact details are correct as they will be sent to the email on our records. If you have not received the report by Thursday, please contact the school so that we can check your contact details.

2024 Reflections and Thank You

As the year draws to an end, we have this opportunity to publicly thank all those who have made our school year as wonderful as it can be, many times there are people we just don’t get a chance to stop and say ‘thanks’. Please take a moment and stop to say thanks to anyone who has given you support, time or just been there and made things better. People like the cross walk attendants, before and after school carers, cleaners, gardeners, Chaplain, School Psychologist, Clarkson Canteen, Relief teachers, AIEO, Educational Assistants, Teachers, Librarian, P&C members, Breakfast Club, School Board, Front Office staff - Thank you !

Somerly School Board

Our Board consists of dedicated individuals who offer sound governance and thoughtful leadership in reviewing school policy, planning and budgeting. This year, we were fortunate to expand our membership, bringing in a diverse range of perspectives that truly represent our school community. I thank all the Board members for their time and their commitment, Louise Lipman, Kayleigh James, Martinor Windsor, Janelle Smith, Rosemary Mackie, Leandra Bayman, Christopher O’Brien, Mark Folkard and special thanks to Harry Turnbull who has served as School Board Chair this year.

Somerly Primary P&C

We extend our heartfelt thanks to our enthusiastic and diligent P&C members. Your support with the Breakfast Club, Sausage Sizzles, Mother's and Father's Day stalls, Easter raffles, Fathering Project, Discos, Year 6 camp and graduation, Containers For Change, Greenhouse and many other behind-the-scenes activities has been invaluable. Your contributions to the school this year have been outstanding, and we are truly grateful. We look forward to the exciting plans for next year and warmly invite you to join this amazing team again.

The P&C also coordinate the Somerly Community Pantry, which is now located next door to Room 4, in Block 1. This allows for easy access for all. We are also preparing a community space for parents to meet and access our community garden in 2025.

Play Group

We are so appreciative of the time and creativity put into each session, welcoming new families to the Somerly Playgroup. It is always rewarding seeing young children explore and learn, and new families feel connected. Thank you!

Next Year the Playgroup will move into the Early Childhood Area, utilising one of the Kindy rooms. We hope to see you there.

After School Care: TheirCare

Over the year we have developed a strong partnership with TheirCare as they offer onsite before and after school care for our students. They have established a wonderful team who cater for our students, providing activities and support.

TheirCare will be relocating to the Undercover Area in 2025, if you are interested in accessing care over the holidays please contact TheirCare for more information.

Staffing

The staff at Somerly Primary School hold themselves and their students to exceptionally high standards and expectations. They are not only caring and dedicated but also deeply committed to fostering a nurturing and supportive learning environment. By engaging in continuous professional development, they ensure they are equipped with the latest educational strategies and knowledge, all aimed at enhancing their students' learning experiences and outcomes. Their unwavering dedication to personal and professional growth reflects their passion for education and their genuine desire to see every student succeed.

I would like to make special mention to our school administration team. Mrs Susan Rose (MCS) and Mrs Pam Lok in the office for their enduring work for our school community. Mrs Janet Metcalf and Mrs Naomi Facey who assist in the office part time, continuing to offer a warm and friendly welcome to our school.

Thank you to our Deputy Principals, Mrs Shylie Elliott and Mrs Stephanie Williamson who work tirelessly to drive school improvement, support families and staff and ensure the school runs smoothly.

At the end of every year, we have a number of staff members leaving us to pursue their professional development or new adventures. I consider it a privilege to offer my thanks to these staff members on behalf of the Somerly Primary School community. In different ways, each of them has contributed so much, impacting the lives of many students. I thank them for their valuable contributions and wish them the very best in 2025 and beyond.

The following staff will be leaving us: Mrs Stephanie Williamson, Mrs Jess Dunn, Mrs Sarah Berry, Mrs Alyssa Godino and Mrs Elise Sayers. We also have Mrs Caratozzolo, Mrs Tamara Sumegi and Mrs Christina Davies who are leaving on a year contract and will return in 2026.

We welcome to Somerly Primary School: Mrs Christine Vawser (PP), Ms Georgia Buck (PP/1), Ms Megan Bagnall (Yr2), Miss Mia McDonald (Yr 5), Mr Taj Turland (Yr5/6) and Ms Grace Gouldstone.

Ms Katia Bue, is extending her leave for 2025 and Mrs Shylie Elliott will remain as Deputy Principal for 2025. The position of Principal will be announced by the Education Department on Friday 13^th December.

Serving as the Principal of Somerly Primary School for the past two years has been an absolute honour. From the moment I accepted the fixed-term contract, I have strived to represent Somerly Primary School with the utmost respect and dedication. Together, we have accomplished so many incredible things, and these projects will continue to flourish in the coming years, ensuring Somerly Primary School remains a school of choice. I am deeply grateful for all the support over these two years, especially during the challenging time of the flood. It was a period that truly brought us together as a community, allowing us to support one another. Thanks to our collective efforts, the school was repaired in just two weeks and our children now enjoy the benefits of new furniture, carpets, and invaluable lessons in resilience.

We have built strong and meaningful relationships with Cambrai Retirement Village, Bunnings, Mindarie Rotary Club, Children’s University, TheirCare, Aussie of the Month, Fathering Project, WasteWise, Containers for Change, and Good Sammys. Each of these partnerships adds immense value to Somerly Primary School.

The strong partnership we share with our families is the cornerstone of our school. This collaboration fosters positive relationships and sets high expectations, creating a supportive and enriching environment for our children. I am excited to continue working with our wonderful school community next year.

2025

Term 1 dates

Please save these dates:

• Staff Development Days are 3^rd and 4^th February 2025
• Students start back at school Wednesday 5^th February 2025
• 3^rd March 2025 - Labour Day Public Holiday
• 12^th to 24^th March - NAPLAN for Year 3 and 5 students
• 17^th to 21^st March - Harmony Week
• 26^th March - Early School Closure - 11:45am for Parent/Teacher Interviews 12pm – 5pm
• 11^th April - Term 1 ends

I wish you all a safe and happy holiday and look forward to seeing you all back for the amazing things Somerly Primary School has installed for 2025.

Louise Carroll
Principal

Stars

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Behaviour Focus

Our behaviour focus for Week 10:-

We are learning to: be respectful by using kind words and manners when speaking to others.

This is because: Everyone is entitled to feel respected and feel valued.

What we will see:

• People speaking calmly;
• People using kind words;
• People listening when others speak to them.

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.

School Photos – Last Chance

Children’s University Graduation

Year 5 Excursion – Brownes Dairy

Year 5 had a fun visit to Brownes Dairy, Balcatta on Thursday 5th December where they met and milked Belinda the beautiful Jersey cow. They tasted 4 unknown yoghurt flavours and guessed what the flavours were. They toured the site but couldn't go into the factory due to health and safety, but did get to watch several parts of the production line from behind large windows. It was fun and each came back with their own yoghurt!

City of Wanneroo 2024 Christmas Card Competition – Results

Somerly Sustainability Serial

Wastewise

Waste Wise Schools

Gardening Club

This is our final update for the year and our students have achieved so much in our garden in readiness for our new green house!

• We have moved and relocated some of our raised garden beds to make room for our new greenhouse which was kindly donated by Food Ladder. Thank you, Mrs Mulder for starting this wonderful journey and to our P&C for assisting with some funding.
• We have also relocated our 8 composting bins, which was a smelly feat!
• We have had a new and bigger shed erected which is located closer to our gardening area for easy access.
• We have used our worm tea from our worm farm to fertilise our crops, which was very successful with our mixed lettuce varieties.
• We harvested some mixed lettuce and potatoes.
• We pruned our white mulberry tree and had a feast.
• Our wastesorted schools’ grant was approved for our new shredders to help us maintain our worm farm and composting bins.

Completing the loop and using our worm tea in our garden beds.

Maintaining and harvesting our potatoes, lettuce and mulberries.

Our fig tree is fruiting.

Relocating our garden beds and composting bins in readiness for our new greenhouse.

Electricity, water and footings for our greenhouse and garden shed.

Delivery of our greenhouse

Don’t feed the fill!
Be the Change!

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!
Our current total is TBA

Our term totals this year are term 1 - 15093 containers, term 2 - 14732 containers and term 3 - 13786 containers. Congratulations!

Thank you to all our community!
Our “Containers for Christmas” Challenge collected
9242 containers - a new challenge record!
This puts our total for this year so far at TBA
We will find out tomorrow!

Our winners of our raffle draw will be announced on Tuesday with our Captain Recycle!!

We are the Change!

Joondalup/Wanneroo School Holiday Services

Costs to Play Sport Information

School Board

Dear Somerly Community

As we reach the end of the year, I want to take a moment to reflect on what 2024 has meant for our school. It has been a year marked by unexpected challenges, from the flooding that disrupted our lives to the complexities of a Public School Review, but also by moments of incredible resilience and strength. Throughout it all, our school community has come together with determination, care, and a shared commitment to ensuring the very best for our students.

The flooding earlier this year was a moment that highlighted the strength of our community. While it brought disruption and significant damage to our facilities, it also brought out the best in us. Our local Clarkson schools stepped in to host our students, providing not just classrooms but also care and support during a difficult time. For our older students, the experience of attending a high school offered an exciting glimpse into their future, while our younger students came back buzzing about just one thing… Clarkson Primary’s tree – its sprawling roots proving to be the ultimate playground. Moments like these remind us that even in adversity, there are silver linings and lessons to cherish.

Through all of this, the exceptional leadership of our principal, Louise Carroll, has been a steadying and inspiring force. Louise’s ability to navigate the complexities of this year with unwavering compassion and determination has been nothing short of extraordinary. Alongside our dedicated administrative staff, she has consistently placed the wellbeing of our students, families, and staff at the heart of every decision, ensuring that our community remained connected and supported through even the most challenging times. Louise, your calm presence under pressure, your genuine care for every member of our school, and your ability to bring people together in a spirit of kindness and collaboration have left a lasting impact on our community. To you and the entire administrative team, thank you for your tireless work and for fostering an environment where our school could not only endure but thrive.

I would also like to take a moment to acknowledge and celebrate the broader staff of Somerly Primary School. Your dedication to providing a nurturing and enriching environment for our students is nothing short of inspiring. From the classroom to the playground, your efforts have made a lasting impact on the lives of our students, and for that, we are deeply grateful.

I also want to acknowledge and thank members of the School Board for their dedication throughout the year.

This year was not without its successes, and one standout is the completion of our new greenhouse. This project has quickly become a symbol of resilience and growth, providing exciting new learning opportunities for our students while reinforcing our commitment to sustainability. Under the guidance of our passionate science teacher, Renae Mulder, and with the enthusiasm of our students and families, we’ve not only met but exceeded our sustainability targets this year – a remarkable achievement that everyone should be deeply proud of!

As we approach the summer holidays, I hope you find time to relax, recharge, and enjoy the festive season with your loved ones. May your Christmas be filled with peace, joy, and good health.

Looking to 2025, I am filled with optimism for what we can achieve together. Thank you for your continued support and trust in our school. It has been an absolute honour to serve as your Board Chair this year, and I look forward to working alongside you all in the year ahead.

Warm regards and happy holidays.

Harry Turnbull
School Board Chair

P & C

SOMERLY PRIMARY SCHOOL P&C: 2024 YEAR IN REVIEW

What a year it’s been for the Somerly P&C! We’ve been working hard to make our school an even better place, and we’re thrilled to share some highlights from 2024.

This year, we provided exciting new resources for the school, including early years learning equipment, noise-cancelling headphones, and a faction leaderboard to boost team spirit. One of our biggest achievements was supporting the installation of the new school greenhouse! This incredible addition gives students the chance to grow and harvest their own produce, build life skills, and learn the value of caring for the environment.

We’re especially proud of how we helped reduce the costs of Year 6 Camp and graduation events, making it possible for more families to participate. On top of that, our weekly Sausage Sizzles, support for the Breakfast Club, and contributions to the Community Pantry have helped bring people together while providing much-needed assistance to students and families.

It’s been a pleasure collaborating with groups like the Somerly Dads Group and the Waste Wise Team, supporting their amazing initiatives. And, of course, we loved seeing everyone enjoy the Glow Disco and Mother’s and Father’s Day Stalls – events that brought so much joy to our school community!

This year, we’ve also focused on evolving and improving how we operate. From forming subcommittees to introducing an online ordering system and hybrid meeting software, we’ve taken steps to make our P&C more effective and accessible. Plus, we launched the 2024 P&C Survey to hear directly from families about what they’d like to see in 2025.

As the year comes to a close, we want to express our heartfelt thanks to some incredible members of our P&C who are moving on. Our Treasurer, Tania Viandante, has been a cornerstone of the team, managing our finances with such care and dedication. We are deeply grateful for all she’s done and wish her the very best in the future. We’d also like to thank Zante Marais and Kylie Rudd for their time and contributions – your efforts have made a real difference, and we’ll miss you!

Here’s to a wonderful 2024, and we can’t wait to see what 2025 brings for our Somerly community!

Acknowledgment of Our 2024 Supporters

We are truly grateful to the parents, caregivers, families, staff, and local businesses whose support, donations, and attendance at events have made a meaningful impact on our school community. Your generosity has made everything we do possible.

Community Partners: Mark and Andrea Folkard, Julie Otrembo and Bunnings Mindarie, Domino’s Mindarie, Tucker Fresh Kinross, Coles Brighton, Quinns Men’s Shed, Somerly Dads Group, The Waste Wise Team, Rotary Mindarie, City of Wanneroo, Perth Zoo, Scitech, Food Ladder, Children's University, WACSSO, and Somerly Playgroup.

Additional Donors: Merriwa IGA, EB Games (Ocean Keys), Strandbags (Ocean Keys), Repco (Clarkson), Kmart (Ocean Keys), Coles (Ocean Keys), Big W (Joondalup), Woolworths (Clarkson), NewsExpress (Ocean Keys), Martina and Steven Windsor, Janelle Smith, Waieturoa Edwards, Heather Cooper, Zac and Margo Descamps.

Dedicated Volunteers: Erin Cole, Marika Blackwell, Tanya Losty, Waieturoa Edwards, Laura Bock, Laura Spencer, Sorella Kaeser, Nadine Havel, Karla Thawley, Zac Descamps, Michael Bailey, Leanne Lowth, Brie Cutuli, Annie Lewin, Craig Wilson, Damon O’Regan, Dayna Smith, Amanda Purd, and others.