9 February 2022

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents/Caregivers

OUR SCHOOL VISION IS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS IN BECOMING STRONG, THOUGHTFUL AND INDEPENDENT INDIVIDUALS WHO ASPIRE TO BE THE BEST THAT THEY CAN BE. OUR ETHOS OFFERS STUDENT CENTERED EDUCATION THAT IS FOCUSSED ON BOTH THE PRESENT AND DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS OF STUDENTS.

Welcome

So far we have had a smooth start to the 2022 school year and let us all hope it continues as it has started. We are all looking forward to another busy year and it was lovely to have our students back and ready to face the challenges of the new year. A special welcome goes to all the new families of Somerly Primary School.

The summer break was a busy one around the school with several Building Works and Maintenance projects happening. The biggest of these jobs was in the early childhood rooms which received new vinyl. The vinyl was required to be replaced following the flooding in 2020. You may have also noticed the new bollards that went up in the car park along Orange Grove Boulevard. Following assessment undertaken by the Department of Education the school was deemed to contain an adequate percentage of car parking places available according to student enrolment numbers. The bollards were put in place to increase flow in the car park but the school is aware of the continuing and ongoing concerns being raised regarding the school car park at pick up times. I encourage you to please escort your children through the car park to increase students’ safety.

2022 Staffing

We are very lucky to have such dedicated, caring and talented staff at Somerly Primary School. We would like to welcome the following new staff

• Miss Jaclyn Mitanoski – Room 17 Year 2
• Miss Sarah Russell – Room 20 Year 3 / 4
• Miss Silvia Caratozzolo – Year 5 Room 7 and 8
• Mrs Narelle Young – Year 6 Room 9 and 10
• Mrs Zoe Ellis – Education Assistant Pre-Primary Room 2
• Mr Ryan Koppl and Mr Cameron Robinson - Physical Education while Mrs Ochieng is on long service leave.

We also welcome back Mrs Tamara Sumegi and Mrs Christina Davies from Maternity Leave.

COVID-19

Over the last two weeks we have seen schools around the State have to close and as a result we have been spending significant time preparing ourselves. COVID in Western Australia has now moved to the high caseload settings in place across the State as of Tuesday 8 February 2022. This includes additional measures required to keep our schools open and providing face-to-face learning to your children.

As announced previously, parents and carers can no longer enter classrooms, including to volunteer. I thank you all for your quick adherence to these guidelines and we will do whatever we can to support your children with any difficulties they may face. You are allowed on school grounds for drop-off and pick-up in outdoor locations, but please physically distance, avoid gathering where possible and follow mask wearing requirements. Thanks again to all parents and visitors to the school for being so vigilant with their masks whilst on school grounds, wearing masks on school site is now mandatory so please keep up the good work. Thank you to all who are also remembering to check in using the Safe WA App.

We have been asked to begin planning and implementing further ways to minimise the risk of COVID-19 entering or being transmitted at schools. As a result:-

• Parent-teacher interviews will move to online or over the phone as with case conferences
• Assemblies will be held online
• Year 6 Camp has been postponed and may be cancelled depending on restrictions
• We will be looking at modifying timetables, break times, and pick-up and drop-off times and will inform you of any changes as soon as possible
• Staff meetings and professional learning will now be online

The purpose of this is to try to minimise the possible disruption to normal face to face learning if/when a positive case is received within the community. At this stage interschool events and swimming can continue. We have been reviewing our Remote Learning Plan with staff and ensuring our Seesaw communication system is up to date. As a back-up plan we would like to ensure all email contacts are up to date. If you have not received an email from me in the last week, please check your email address with the front office.

Please see attached information regarding our Remote Learning Plan and how to set up a suitable home learning environment in case remote learning is required at any stage. Please ensure that good hygiene practices are maintained and keep students home if they are unwell.

Business Plan 2020 – 2024

It is with great pleasure that I get to launch the new Business Plan for 2022 – 2024. The school plan provides strategic direction for the next 3 years to ensure continued improvement. The school plan was developed in collaboration with all staff, with feedback from the School Board. Our school plan aligns with the current Department of Education Strategic Plans for Public Schools, and incorporates the Dempster Leading for Learning Framework. The Business Plan has six sections to align with the Department of Education WA Electronic School Assessment Tool (ESAT) which will allow planning and evaluation by the Board, administration and leadership teams.

One of our big changes this year is to our specialist subject. Students in Years Pre-primary to Year 6 will participate in one hour of Science, Music and Physical Education each week. Pre-Primary to Year 2 students will participate in one hour of Digital Technologies each week and Years 3 – 6 will participate in Italian. Pre-Primary students will participate in 80 minutes of art per week and all other year levels one hour per fortnight.

School Board

As an Independent Public School we are governed by a School Board which plays an important role in ensuring that school resources are used efficiently, community expectations and the school’s priorities reflect the needs of students. The Somerly Primary School Board is still seeking two parent representatives. The School Board meets twice per term on a Monday morning but times are subject to change dependent on availability.

The School Board takes both approval and advisory roles. Some of the matters councils and boards may make decisions on include fees and charges, book lists, sponsorship and dress codes. Councils and boards make these decisions with the Principal and others who ensure the decisions adhere to legislative and policy requirements.

If you are interested in supporting your school through the School Board, please email me. For more information, please see

School councils/boards - Department of Education

Swimming Lessons

Again this year, the Year 5 and 6 students will be undertaking their swimming lessons at Yanchep Lagoon in Weeks 5 and 6 this term. In-term swimming is provided by the Department of Education and helps to ensure children develop vital swimming and water safety skills. Permission notes have been sent home. Please return them and make payment as soon as possible. Swimming for the rest of the school is scheduled for later in the year at Aquamotion in Wanneroo.

Harmony Day

A focus for the school is to increase our cultural awareness and celebrate our cultural diversity. We had plans for a big Harmony Day celebration including a variety of activities including an assembly, community singing, cultural dance incursions, food tasting and national flag and flower art activities.

Unfortunately, a lot of these activities will have to be readdressed due to the current restrictions in place. We would still love your help however, if you are willing, with creating a short 30 second to 1-minute video to share with us about your nationality and culture. We will join these together to create a video for all students to watch on Harmony Day. If you have some cultural dress, you are able to wear that would be fantastic but completely optional. Some things you could share would include

• Where are you from?
• Something interesting about living there or the country
• What is the traditional dress or food?

These videos can be emailed directly to the school’s email address.

Positive Behaviour Support PBS and Good Standing

Somerly Primary School began implementing PBS in 2013. The school endeavours to establish a positive learning culture that will encourage and teach the development of social skills within a caring community environment. At Somerly Primary School we use the Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) program to manage student behaviour. This program helps to create a positive learning environment by developing proactive whole school systems to define, teach and support appropriate student behaviours.

PBS applies evidence based approaches, practices and strategies for all students to increase academic performance, improve safety, decrease problem behaviour and establish a positive school culture. PBS places a major focus on prevention and the following key elements help to create a safe, positive and productive learning environment:

• Clearly defined and taught behaviour expectations
• Consistent and frequent acknowledgement of appropriate behaviour
• Constructively and specifically addressing problem behaviour
• Effective use of behaviour data to assess and inform decision making

Somerly Primary School is required to have a Good Standing Policy which is underpinned by the State Government’s, ‘Let’s Take a Stand Together’ Action Plan, our Positive Behaviour in School’s philosophy and our Behaviour Management Policy.

Good standing is the status that all Somerly Primary School students commence the year with. It recognises and rewards the efforts of individual students who consistently embrace the three core values of respect, responsibility and safety. It encourages students to take responsibility for their unproductive behaviour choices and to make changes to improve their behaviour.

Students with good standing have the opportunity to participate in school activities such as:-

• Whole school “We did it” reward
• Class “We did it” rewards
• School discos
• Principal’s Lunch

Students will lose good standing for receiving an office referral more than 3 times in a term or other more serious situations. Students who lose their good standing will have these benefits removed until they have restored relationships and modified their behaviour through a negotiated agreement (Individual Behaviour Plan -IBP) with administration staff or at the beginning of each term.

P&C Event and AGM

The P & C is representative of parent and community volunteers which operates under the banner of the Western Australian Council of State School Organisation. (WACSSO). The P&C raise money to invest in services and resources to enhance the learning programs offered at school. We work closely with the school to identify needs and direct funds to support those needs. Parents and Citizens Associations are established under the School Education Act 1999 for the purpose of supporting a strong government school system for the benefit of all students.

The P&C allows for parent participation and involvement in the school. It helps to promote and support communication and cooperation within the school community and to bring educational matters to the attention of the wider community.

At this stage the P&C requires a number of significant members and committee members to continue to be viable. This year we will be looking for a parent representative for each year level. These parents will help with communicating to parents and welcoming new families, assisting at school activities and events, attend P&C meetings each term. The P&C welcomes new members – even if you can’t make it to all P&C meetings you can still be involved.

Please come to our first meeting of the year and AGM on Tuesday 15th March at 6pm in the staffroom. The cost to join the P&C is $1 and is required at the time of the meeting. The AGM is the same as a general meeting with three special functions

• The election of office bearers and executive members including President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer
• Presentation of the financial report
• President’s report.

The P&C require office bearers and executive members. Please contact the front office for nomination forms.

Leavers’ Shirts

Year 6 students are required to order their leavers' shirts through Uniform Concepts in Clarkson by the end of this week.

Zoe Hadley-Hawley
Principal

Behaviour Focus

Our behaviour focus for Week 2 is:-

TRANISITIONS

• We always walk quickly, quietly and respectfully around our school
• We walk next to our partner and close to the person in front

RESPONSIBILITY PLAY AREAS

• We leave the play areas to get a drink and go to the toilet when the first siren goes B

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.

P & C

Please note, there will be no Wednesday P&C lunch until after the P&C AGM on 15th March 2022. A message will be sent to families confirming the date of the first P&C Wednesday lunch in due course.