Whitford Catholic Primary School
Newsletter 1 - 6 February 2019
Message from the Principal
Dear Parents
Welcome to the start of what promises to be an exciting and fulfilling year for the staff, students and wider parent community at Whitford Catholic School. To the families who have joined our school for the very first time in 2019, I offer you a very warm welcome and am delighted that you have chosen to send your son or daughter to our school. Welcome to new staff members Miss Anita Baric (Yr 2) and Miss Tarnica Golisano (Yr 3). It is also great to have Mrs Mellissa Hilton (Support Teacher) back after leave.
When we reflect on the many achievements of 2018, we are reminded that our focus has been, and will continue to be based on what is in the best interest of the child. Our commitment to each will continue to be at the forefront of our planning, our thinking and our doing.
We will continue to align our school direction with that of the Catholic Education Commission of Western Australia’s (CECWA) Strategic Directions 2019 – 2021, so that we are part of a collective vision and purpose. Integral to this direction will be ensuring that the needs of our community are met so that we continue to provide education of excellence in this changing and exciting educational landscape.
I ask all parents to refer to the school Code of Conduct which describes minimum standards of conduct in all behaviour and decision making within the school, to ensure the safety and well-being of students.
Please click here to view Code of Conduct
Keeping our children safe whilst at school is our top priority, with the safety measures currently in place designed to safeguard students and to affect optimum learning in the classroom. Listed below are several safety measures currently in place in this regard:
· Visitor register in and out of the school
· Visitor name tags
· Electronic absentee notification
· Closed Circuit Television
· Controlled access with exterior gates locked at 9.30am
· Staff and student training on emergency procedures (drills)
· Duty teacher and educational assistant supervision of all play areas.
It is important that the matter of school safety is everyone’s business. So I ask that you keep your eyes open and report hazards or concerns to the Principal of Assistant Principal (Mr Andrew de Maio) through the administration office. Together we can create a great place to learn.
As the school term begins, may we celebrate the amazing blessings we have and look forward to many wonderful learning and community opportunities ahead.
Kindest regards
Tamara McGougan
Parent Information Session
Please be advised that our Parent Information Sessions early this term will be conducted in a different format to previous years. We are trialling a new system and will evaluate the best way moving forward after this trial.
Information Sessions will begin in the school gymnasium for an address by the school leadership team and relevant staff members from 6.30pm – 6.50pm. Parents will then move to their child’s classroom with a Class Information Session from 7.00pm - 7.30pm.
Any parent attending more than one evening, will only need to attend the Whole School Information Session in the gymnasium once.
Dates of Parent Information Sessions:
11 February 2019: Years 1, 3 & 5
13 February 2019: Years 2, 4 & 6
18 February 2019: Pre-Primary (school library)
If families have more that one child, we appreciate that it may not be possible to attend all class information sessions, especially if they are held on the same evening. Staff are well aware of this and will provide parents with electronic or hard copies of information presented. They will also be available at the end of their session if you wish to pop in to introduce yourself.
Thank you for your support in this matter.
Updated Parking and Drive Through 2019
Important Dates
THURSDAY 7 FEBRUARY
09:00am - 10:00am 6 Blue Surfing Lessons
FRIDAY 8 FEBRUARY
- 09:00am - 10:00am 6 Blue Surfing Lessons
MONDAY 11 FEBRUARY
- Year 3 & 4 Swimming Lessons
- 06:30pm - 07:30pm Parent Meetings - Years 1, 3 & 5
TUESDAY 12 FEBRUARY
- Year 3 & 4 Swimming Lessons
WEDNESDAY 13 FEBRUARY
- Year 3 & 4 Swimming Lessons
- 09:00am - 10:00am WCPS Opening Mass & Presentation of Badges
- 06:30pm - 07:30pm Parent Meetings: Years 2, 4 & 6
THURSDAY 14 FEBRUARY
- Year 3 & 4 Swimming Lessons
- 09:00am - 10:00am 6 Blue Surfing Lessons
FRIDAY 15 FEBRUARY
SATURDAY 16/SUNDAY 17 FEBRUARY
- Whitty's Dads and Kids Campout
Important Dates for 2019
- Monday 4 March - Labour Day Holiday
- Monday 25 March - 12:00pm - 06:00pm Parent/Teacher Meetings - SCHOOL CLOSES AT 12 NOON (Kids Care available)
- Friday 12 April - Last Day of Term 1
TERM 2
- Tuesday 30 April - First Day of Term 2 for students
- Monday 3 June - WA Day Holiday
- Thursday 4 July - Last Day of Term 2 for students
TERM 3
- Monday 22 July - First Day of Term 3 for students
- Monday 19 August - Pupil Free Day
- Wednesday 25 September - Last Day of Term 3 for students
TERM 4
- Monday 14 October - First Day of Term 4 for students
- Friday 13 December - Last Day of 2019 School Year for students
Sacramental Dates 2019
- Wednesday 23 October
- Commitment Mass - 21/22 September
- Parental Workshops - 9,10 and 11 September
Holy Communion
- Saturday 17 August/Sunday 18 August
- Commitment Mass - 29/30 June
- Parental Workshops - 29, 30 and 31 July
Confirmation
- Saturday 15 June/Sunday 16 June
- Commitment Mass - 25/26 May
- Parental Workshops - 13,14 and 15 May
Enrolment Masses
- Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 March
Parent Information Night
- Wednesday 27 March 7pm - 8.30pm
Information Packs
Please remember to return completed Family Details form, Information Update form, Photo/Transport form (if applicable), PEACE permission form and Emergency Action Plans to the front office or through your child's note box by Friday 8 February 2019.
Canteen
PLEASE REMEMBER TO UPDATE YOUR CHILD'S CLASS DETAILS WHEN PLACING YOUR ONLINE ORDER
Please click here to view Canteen roster for Term 1 2019.
Please be advised that the price for the flavoured milk has changed.
Sushi will be available 25 February for $5.50.Orders must be preordered by Thursday 21 February, noon.
Choices of Tuna, Chicken or Vegetarian, please send in a bag or extra 10c if not ordering online. Normal menu available on the day.
We are still looking for volunteers for mainly on Mondays but also a few dates on Thursdays. If you can help please fill in a form at the canteen or at the office.
Thursday 7th February
Recess:
Choc Yogo $1.80
Mini Pizza $1.50
Roster: Carissa Tang, Erica Hamilton
Monday 11th February
Recess:
Chicken Wedges $1.40
Lamington Fingers 70c
Roster: Majella Conceicao, Kristy Ferguson
Thursday 14th February
Recess:
TBA
Roster: Meg Grant, Jo Lihou, Clare Cherian
HAAS / Library
The Library is History: During History classes children will have ample time to browse and borrow but the library is also a place to reflect on our personal history, the history of our school, the history of the Sisters of Mercy and the history of Australia and the World. Everyone will be bringing books home in the next week. Kindy won’t be borrowing until Week 4 but everyone else is ready to roll. Please remember to bring your school library bags to each lesson. If your child has lost theirs “permanently” we can loan them one from our “Graduate Stash.” If you have any spares at home, we are always grateful. Please note that this year's Year 1 library bags were kept over the holidays and will be distributed in their first History class.
We no longer provide plastic shopping bags for those children who have forgotten their library bags but will loan out a spare library bag through the library system. These bags will appear as overdue if not returned. Remembering a library bag each week is an organisational practice that holds students in good stead. These bags keep the book clean and dry and make it easy to find in a hurry.
Library/History Days are:
Monday: Kindy Blue & Gold and Pre-primary
Tuesday: Year 4 White & Gold, Year 5 Blue & Gold and Year 1 Gold & Blue.
Wednesday: Year 5 White, Year 1 White, Year 2 Blue & White and Kindy White.
Thursday: Year 6 Gold & Blue, Year 3 Blue & Gold and Year 2 Gold.
Friday: Year 4 Blue, Year 3 White and Year 6 White.
Overdue Books: On the afternoon of your child’s library day, reminder emails will be sent to those families whose children have forgotten to return a book. Your support in reminding your child to return the book as soon as possible is appreciated. Don’t wait until the next lesson. The cost of the book is only listed in case the book has been irreparably damaged. This is not a fine.
Book Swap will take place in the last week of Term 2 in support of the Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
Book Week activities in August (theme: Reading is My Secret Power) will once again include a musical performance.
Book Fair will not take place in 2019.
“yourtutor” The City of Joondalup offers all students from Year 4 to Year 12 (and TAFE), access to an online tutoring service with expert tutors for real time, one-to-one tutoring assistance in core subjects with a professional tutor via the internet from home or the City’s libraries. The tutoring service covers the core subjects including English and Writing, Business, Essential Skills, Maths, Science and is available Sunday to Friday 1.00 pm – 10.00 pm. All students require is a FREE library card to access the service. You can go online at www.joondalup.wa.gov.au > Libraries> Your Tutor and Homework Help> anytime and check out the simulation to see how easy it is to use.
See you in the Library
St Jerome, pray for us
Mrs Annette Lynch
HHISTORY TEACHER/LIBRARIAN
Kids of Mercy Enrolment 2019
This is the ninth year Whitford Catholic Primary School has been engaged in our community outreach through the Kids of Mercy.
Students in Years 1 - 6 may enrol to attend Mercyville Aged Care on a Friday at lunchtime.
The visits are brief, only 20 minutes, but they bring a lot of joy to the Sisters and ladies at Mercyville. Children should expect to be rostered on at least 3 times per year and rosters are published in School Stream with a note sent home.
On the Friday that students attend, they would need to meet promptly in front of the office when the second lunch bell sounds. We then proceed to Mercyville and meet with the ladies in their common room for a chat, show and tell or music performance. We leave in time to start classes at 1.20pm. Bringing an item to show helps with conversation.
Participant numbers are capped at 150.
Please use the form accessed through the link below (or in School Stream) for siblings attending. Siblings are rostered on together.
All participants from last year, wishing to continue, need to re-enrol. We don’t carry over from 2018.
Please do not enrol your child without first discussing with them what is involved in this commitment.
ENROLMENT CLOSED - NOW FULL
Annette Lynch
Kids of Mercy Coordinator
Dance and Drama
This Semester I will be teaching the students from Pre-Primary to Year Two, Drama and Dance. Term One will be Drama where I will be focussing on:
- Speech and Annunciation
- Characterisation
- Role Play
- Improvisation
- Spatial Awareness
- Group work
- Confidence
- Performance skills
- FUN!!!!
As part of the Pre-Primary - Year Two Drama Program I have introduced two characters to the students, "Billy" and "Betty". Information about the bears will be sent out via School Stream.
Mrs Candice D’Adamo
Drama and Dance Specialist
School Banking
Banking day is Tuesdays and there are all new rewards available this term, you can redeem a reward once you have collected 10 tokens, you receive a token every time you bank. Please remember to change your child's class on the front of your banking book.
School banking is run by parent volunteers and we need more helpers, commitment is only 1-2 hours on a Tuesday morning about 3 times per term depending on how many we have helping. We love a cuppa and a chat and training is provided on the job, it is a very relaxed atmosphere and if you have some time we would love your help. Please email wendy.scanlan@gmail.com if you can help.
P&F News
Dear Parents and Friends of our School Community
Welcome back to another year at Whitford Catholic Primary School. We are sure 2019 will be another great year.
The aim of the WCPS Parents and Friends' Association (P&F) is to help create and strengthen friendships within the school community, to raise funds for facilities at the school and to support student experience. This could not be achieved without the support of parents and family members who volunteer their time to run the various events for our children during the year, provide support in class or provide assistance around the school.
Fundraising from this year will continue to go towards the new nature based play pods on the oval, for which planning has already commenced.
Our first meeting for this year is on Wednesday 20th February at 7:30pm, so save the date and come and meet some new people and see what is planned for the year.
Chess Club
Chess Club will commence this Thursday after school. Cost is $40 for the term. Any queries please contact the P&F on pandf@wcps.wa.edu.au
The P&F Executive
Whitty Dads
Newsletter Advertising
If anyone is interested in advertising in the newsletter for 2019 would you please send an email to admin@wcps.wa.edu.au.
OUR SPONSORS
Community News
Keyed Up Music
Keyed Up Music will be running, Keyboard and Guitar lessons this year at Whitfords Catholic Primary School
Prices start at $17.55 for a Keyboard group lesson and $18.10 for a Guitar group lesson
To enrol go to www.keyedupmusic.com.au/enrolment -form or for more information please contact Therese 1300 366 243