11 March 2020

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents/Caregivers

We are half way through the term and it certainly has been a busy one. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all our parents who were so understanding when the school was forced to close due to the storm damage. Your support is appreciated. Thanks also to our staff who ensured there was minimal disruption to our students’ learning and had the classrooms ready for students the next day.

P & C AGM

The P&C AGM is scheduled for Monday 16th March at 6.30pm in the Staff Room. We look forward to seeing as many parents as we can to ensure that our P&C continues to thrive and support the school as it has done for many years.

School Board Meeting

Due to the school being closed due to the storm, our School Board Meeting had to be postponed. Our next meeting is Wednesday 25th March at 9.00 am in the Staff Room.

New students

I would like to extend a warm welcome to Jai, Amelia and Ethan who recently commenced at Somerly Primary School.

Paul Eaglestone
Principal

Merit Certificates

Room 1: Lachlan and Kaiya; Room 2: Titus and Ella; Room 3: Kora and Jasmine; Room 7: Riley and Jacob; Room 8: Hayley and Aaleyah ; Room 9: Moses and LaDainian; Room 10: Chantel and Kaiden; Room 11: Chase, Brighton and Lamar; Room 12: Kaiser; Room 13: Jessica, Taj and Mia; Room 14: Anisa and Osama; Room 16: Matthew and Mia; Room 17: Meyer and Curtis; Room 18: Abel and Rashaad; Room 20: Fletcher and Josie; Room 23: Laksh and Tabitha; Art: Enaj and Ava; LOTE: Barclay, Tayliah, Kiah and Room 13.

Stars

Behaviour Focus

Our behaviour focus for Week 6 is:-

CLASSROOM

RESPONSIBILITY

• We have our equipment ready and keep our work area tidy
• We ask for help with our school work when needed
• We follow all staff instructions SOCIAL SKILL
• Managing emotions

SOCIAL SKILL

• Managing emotions

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.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

Please see below information provided by the WA Department of Health.

We are ensuring that a supply of soap is available in all classrooms and toilets and students are being given developmentally appropriate instruction for effective handwashing. We are also sourcing hand sanitiser products for use in the classrooms.

Parent/Teacher Meetings

As previously communicated, on Friday 27th March 2020, the school day will conclude at 11:45am to enable the Parent/Teacher Meetings to occur. Parents are requested to collect their children at 11:45am. The timing of the meetings will enable you to discuss your child’s progress with their classroom teacher. You can also book meetings with Music, Physical Education, Art and Italian Specialist Teachers.

Meetings will be held between 12:00pm and 5:00pm. Please open the link below on your web browser to book in a meeting time. Please note the link will open at 5.30pm today (Wednesday 11th March 2020) and will close at 5.30pm on Wednesday 25th March 2020.

As this is a meeting to discuss your child’s progress with their teacher, it is important that siblings are not in attendance to minimise disruptions.

Voluntary Contributions

Voluntary Contributions play a significant role in providing resources for students in the classroom. The continuing partnership between the school and parents is vital to ensuring that all students receive a level of education sufficient to carry them forward in today’s society. Voluntary Contributions are utilized to purchase books, resources and equipment for classroom use and to support our school in the delivery of quality educational programmes. To enable the school to continue to deliver our excellent educational programmes, we urge you to consider paying your Voluntary Contribution at your earliest convenience.

Voluntary Contributions for 2020 is set at $60. However, if you pay before the end of Term 1, you will receive a discount of $10.

Would you like a night at the Joondalup Resort?

Thanks to the generosity of Mark Folkard MLA, Member for Burns Beach you could be checking in soon!

We have a voucher for a one night stay for two people with breakfast included on a date of your choice.

To be in the draw to win this fantastic prize, simply pay your Voluntary Contribution before the end of Term 1. If you have already paid, you are automatically in the draw.

Draw will take place week 1 of Term 2.

You can pay by cash or EFTPOS in the front office any day between 8:30am and 3:30pm. Alternatively, you can also pay by direct deposit to Commonwealth Bank – BSB 066 040 - Account No. 19902052. Please enter surname and room number in description field as a reference.

School Photo Day

Our school photos are scheduled for Wednesday 18th and Thursday 19th March 2020. All families should have received their photo envelopes and each student will need to bring their completed personalised photo order envelope on photo day, even if no photos are being purchased.

Sibling orders are only available online. You will be able to purchase sibling photos online.  The access code for sibling photos is A9RNHTT3.

Please see below proposed timetable for photo days. (N.B. these times are approximate)

Wednesday 18th March 2020

9.00am – Kindy Room 5
9.20am - Kindy Room 6A
9.40am – Pre-Primary Room 1
10.00am – Year 1 Room 3
10.20am –Year 1 Room 16
11.15am – Year 4 Room 13
11.35am – Year 1 Room 23
12.00pm – Year 1 Room 18
12.20pm – Year 2 Room 17
12.40pm – Pre-Primary/Year 1 – Room 4
2.00pm – Year 2 Room 15
2.20pm – Year 3/4 Room 12

Thursday – 19th March 2020

9.00am – Kindy Room 6B
9.20am – Year 3 Room 11
10.00am – Year 3 Room 14
10.20am – Year 4 Room 20
11.15am – Pre-Primary Room 2
11.35 am – Year 5 Room 8
12.00pm – Year 5 Room 7
12.20pm – Year 6 Room 9
12.40pm – Year 6 Room 10
2.00pm – Student Councillors
2.20pm – Faction Captains, Vice Captains and Daily Operations Team

Sibling photos will take place at Recess and Lunch on both days.

Harmony Day- Friday 20th March 2020

Harmony Day is an opportunity to celebrate Australia’s cultural diversity. It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone. We will be celebrating this day at Somerly Primary School on Friday 20th March. We would like to invite all students to dress in either cultural/traditional dress or to wear something orange. We will also engage in various activities leading up to Harmony Day.

ANZAC Day Ceremony

Somerly PS will be holding an ANZAC Day Ceremony on Thursday 9th April starting at 9.00am. If any parents have been involved in the Defence Force and would like to participate in the service, please express your interest to the front office staff by Monday March 23rd at the latest.

Step into School - Toddler Reading

Our Toddler Reading group meets in the library on Wednesday mornings from 8:45am. Parents and their young children are invited to come in and read some lovely picture books. We read a story together as a group at 9:00am and then have a small craft activity for those children who would like to join in. Your child may also like to borrow a book to take home for the week. Bringing along a library bag is good practice for kindy.

We look forward to meeting you.

Learning Focus

Numeracy

Seven classes across the school (Year 2, Year 5 and Year 6) have had students competing in M-Influencers Maths Quest this week. This is an international online maths competition where schools throughout Australasia compete against schools throughout Asia. Children have had the opportunity to complete maths activities and earn points for their regions, as well as for Somerly Primary School. This competition is open until the 14th of March and the students participating can access the platform at home using login details provided. I look forward to seeing if any of our students will be crowned the ultimate M-Influencers!

Mrs Brown – Numeracy Specialist

LOTE Term 1 2020

In term one many classes have begun the year revising numbers, colours and greetings. It has been great to see Miss Mundy’s Year 4 students helping some of the Year 3 students as they learn the common Italian greetings. The Year 5 students have enjoyed working in pairs and playing games to extend their number knowledge to 100!

The Year 6 students have been researching the Venetian Festival of Carnevale and are creating power points. I have been impressed with the ICT skills of the students and the cooperation the students have shown to help their class mates. I look forward to seeing the finished product.

Mrs McCulloch – LOTE Specialist

Reading Eggs

Learning to read is one of the most important skills your child will learn.

Reading Eggs and Reading Eggspress will continue to be the home Reading program for this year. Students have completed the placement test for the year, had a refresher on how to use the program and have received their log in details. Please see your child’s teacher if you do not have the log in details.

ABC Reading Eggs helps parents and home educators support their child’s reading journey and it grows with them at their own pace allowing your child to feel success and achievement. The program focuses on the five essential keys to reading- phonics, phonemic awareness, vocabulary, comprehension and fluency.

Children can take part in games, lessons, assignments and activities. The program also offers a huge library full of a range of books from a number of different genres, allowing your child to read a wide range of literature. Teachers can set books, assignments and lessons for individual children at their reading level and will be able to monitor the activities, time spent and progress for every child. Attached is more information on how you can support your child in the program.

Chaplain’s Corner

Good day everyone!

On Friday 20th March, it is the National Day of Action against Bullying and Violence.

On this day, we will focus on bullying during the Assembly. As a lead up to this day, all students will have the opportunity to make a pledge by cutting out a hand print of their own hand, with their name written on it and sticking it on our Pledge Wall stating that they are taking the following pledge:

BY SIGNING THIS PLEDGE, I AGREE TO:

• Treat others respectfully.
• Try to include those who are left out.
• Refuse to bully others.
• Refuse to watch, laugh or join in when someone is being bullied.
• Tell an adult if I see any form of bullying or if I am being bullied.
• Help those who are being bullied.

Taking this pledge is absolutely voluntary and no student will be forced to do it.

As I have mentioned in our previous Newsletter, we are focusing on online safety for our children as part as the build up to this National Day Against Bullying and Violence.

This week the focus will be on the online game, Fortnite.

Please have a look at information below regarding this online game as well as tips for parents to ensure that our children are safe from harm online.

Have a great week!
Kind regards,
Marilize Basson (Chaplain)

P & C