5 September 2018

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents/Caregivers

Sports Faction Carnival

Our 2018 Sports Faction Carnival was a huge success. Students competed extremely well in both the individual and team events. I would like to thank all staff for the role they played on the day, making it a smooth and enjoyable experience for our students. See enclosed page for results and photos.

I would like to extend a thank you to our hard working and dedicated P&C for managing the canteen on the day - through the support of parents and the wider community they managed to raise a healthy $813.

An Interschool Athletics team has been selected based on student’s individual results. The carnival will be held at Mindarie Primary School this coming Friday 7th September. Families are welcome to attend to support our students.

Swimming Reminder

In-term swimming is a component of our Health and Physical Education program; we strongly encourage all children to participate. Swimming lessons for 2018 will commence on Monday 26th November to Friday 7th December. We understand that swimming lessons can place financial stress on families and therefore are happy to start taking part payments over the forthcoming weeks. The cost of the lessons is $50 per child. Payment can be paid either by cash, direct deposit into the school bank account (BSB 066040, ACC 19902052) with your child’s surname and room number as a reference or via EFTPOS at the front office.

School Run 4 Fun Colour Explosion

On Friday 21st September the P&C will be holding a School Run 4 Fun Colour Explosion. On the day families are invited to bring a picnic lunch to share with their child/ren at 1:00pm. The Run 4 Fun Colour Explosion will commence at 1:45pm. Additional information regarding the Run 4 Fun Colour Explosion has been sent home with your child today.

New students

I would like to extend a warm welcome to Damiano, Theodore, Lamar and Hazel who recently commenced at Somerly Primary School.

Tracey Renton
Principal

Stars

Behaviour Focus

Our behaviour focus for Week 8 is:-

RESPONSIBILITY;

PLAY AREAS

• We wear our hat.
• We play in our own area.
• We use/return equipment properly.
• We use all equipment for its designed purpose.
• We leave the play areas to get a drink and go to the toilet when the first siren goes.
• We are back at our class when the second siren goes.
• We seek help when we need to solve problems.
• We wait for the duty teacher to arrive before going on the oval and courts.

SOCIAL SKILL

• Being Gentle.

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.

Student Attendance

Somerly Primary School recognises that students need to attend school on a regular basis to gain the maximum benefit from schooling in order to optimise their life opportunities. At Somerly Primary School we understand that for maximum transfer of knowledge 95% percent attendance is necessary. Attendance rates lower than 95% could impact on academic standards.

At Somerly Primary School there is an expectation that once enrolled, students will attend on a regular basis, and positive attendance patterns should be fostered. It is our focus to wrap positive support around each student to maximise their attendance.

Lateness

Please note that classroom doors open at 8.30am. At this time students complete morning activities that review past content and get them focused for the day ahead with formal instruction commencing at 8.40am. Students arriving significantly late miss these critical morning activities and learning. Students arriving after 9am are required to get a late note from the front office.

Please endeavour to have your child at school for 8.30am.

Zoe Stenhouse
Deputy Principal

Book Week Celebrations

Our Book Week celebrations were a great success. The students enjoyed a week of fun and treasure themed activities and it was wonderful to see everyone joining in on our pirate and mermaid dress up day. I would like to thank all the parents, grandparents, friends and students who bought a book during our Book Fair. As a result of your generosity the library will receive $1300 worth of books from Scholastic. I would also like to thank Abbey, Danielle, Daeniel, Asante and Ella-Rose who helped with sales during the book fair. We couldn't have managed without these fantastic, dedicated students.

SPORTS CARNIVAL

On Friday the 31st August, the Somerly Primary School Faction Carnival was held in coolish, but fine conditions. The sportsmanship and effort displayed by the students was of a high standard and all students should be commended on this. It was a tight day all day between all four factions, but at the end of the day the results were as follows:

Well done to all competitors, staff and helpers. Thank you to the P&C for their pop up café/ restaurant that was incredibly busy all day and kept everyone well hydrated and fed. A special thank you to the students from Irene McCormack who came down and supported the staff at all the events that were conducted. Over two days our top two competitors from all factions completed a long and short distance run, jumps, throws and a sprint for Championship points

The Champion and Runner-up for girls and boys from each year are as follows:

Learning Focus

Music

The Somerly Primary School Music Room has a new instrument! Last week, we were delivered an upright piano! In class, we have been exploring the piano and how it works. Did you know the piano is both a percussion AND a string instrument? As well as that, our bell song is a famous piano song composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart which was written over 700 years ago! The lower primary classes had some students visit to perform on the piano which helped us practise our good audience skills. Thank you to Czarina, Melisa, Emily and Felix for taking the time to perform for us and show off your skills - you have inspired many young musicians at the school.

Also, thank you to Gary and Diane at Piano Magic, for allowing us to have the piano. Miss Olsen and the students at Somerly are extremely appreciative. Some students even wrote thank you letters to Gary this week! How nice!

The piano is an excellent instrument in regards to learning how to read and play music. In music, we learn how to read rhythms and musical notation for Xylophone so we can transfer this skill and knowledge onto the keyboards/piano. As well as this, it will allow students to be able to be more accurate in pitch recognition (ear training) which will help students when completing MAI assessments for the SIM Instrumental program in Year 5.

LOTE Term 3 2018

The Year 5/6’s have been using their creativity and drawing skills to draw their own houses and their dream homes. I was impressed with the level of concentration that the students have shown whilst working on their designs. I look forward to seeing the finished products.

The Year 4’s have been working on the topic of Their Daily Routine. They have been working in pairs to complete a variety of activities including performing in front of the class. It has been wonderful to see the students’ effort at pronouncing tricky words in Italian and being willing to make mistakes in order to improve their speaking skills. Bravi ragazzi!!

The Year 3’s have continued on the topics of The Family and Numbers. The students completed their family booklets, describing the people in their family. A magnifico effort!

Mrs McCulloch – LOTE Specialist

ICT

Thank you to all the parents, students and extended family for voting for our school in the Telstra Digital Technologies Competition. We are proud to say that we have come second and have won money to buy resources for our students.

Seesaw

As part of the Digital Technologies Curriculum, students will learn how to upload and share pictures, videos and comment in a safe online environment. The Seesaw application, provides a safe classroom environment for students to learn and share their work. Parents are also welcomed to check out their children’s learning through the Seesaw. All you need to do is download the Seesaw application onto your smart phone, asks your classroom teacher for your child’s QR scan code and then investigate and like the work being shared.

Somerly Youtube Channel

Come and check out the wonderful things students at Somerly Primary School are learning about on our very own channel! The latest addition is our Book Week dress up clip with our pirate students and teachers. Watch out for the crocodile!

Block 3

In Room 12 and Room 14 we have been learning about living things and their observable features, while carrying out science investigations. We have been learning about measurement in maths and have completed many tasks using informal and formal units of measurement.

CHAPLAIN’S CORNER

Good day Parents

Imagine that your oldest kids are fighting…again. Or, your youngest just spilled his juice box on the floor. Or, your daughter is whining that life is “not fair.” What’s your reply?

Are you a yeller? Do you criticize? Overreact? Maybe you ignore, walk away or throw up your hands in frustration. Or…do you inquire? Invite discussion and problem solving? Make space for big emotions?

As we strive to have strong positive relationships with our children, it’s important to remember to Respond rather than React.

Reacting means that you meet your child’s emotionally-charged behaviour with your own emotionally-charged reply. They are yelling, so you enter the conversation by yelling. They are screaming and having a tantrum, so you work hard to quiet them down and “get over” their fussing.

Responding, on the other hand, gives your child permission to express their big emotions, ideas and feelings without criticism, shame or guilt. If your child is upset because something doesn’t seem fair, you let them be frustrated and express empathy. There’s no need to change your mind or try to fix the problem.

Here some examples of reacting vs. responding:

“Stop that crying right now!” vs. “You look upset, do you need a hug?”

“If you two don’t stop fighting, I’m turning this car around!” vs. “I am pulling over. When the car is quiet, I will continue driving.”

“What?! You spilled your juice again!” vs. “Oops, let’s get a rag and get that mess cleaned up.”

“Another ‘C?’ What’s going on with you?” vs. “It looks like you are struggling in math. Is there anything I can do to help?”

Sometimes it’s going to be easy to respond rather than react. Other times, it’s going to be more challenging…especially if you’re feeling tired, stressed, overwhelmed, worried, frustrated, etc. If it’s one of those days, remember to breathe. Give yourself that split-second to decide if you are going to react or respond.

(If it’s really one of those days…take two deep breaths!)

If you need more information or you need some support in any way, please contact me at school or pop in for a chat.

Have a great week.

Warm regards.

Marilize (School Chaplain)

P & C

Northshore Christian Grammar School Scholarship Opportunities – 2019

Northshore Christian Grammar School is delighted to announce an unprecedented round of scholarship offerings for Year 7 and Year 8 students for the 2019 Academic year.

• The testing will take place on Saturday 15th September 2018 and is free.
• The current round of scholarships for Year 7 include
• 1 x 100% scholarship
• 6 x 50% scholarships
• The current round of scholarships for Year 8 include
• 1 x 100% scholarship
• 7 x 50% scholarships

The Year 8 scholarships have been included for families with previous students.

For further information, please contact the front office for a flyer.