Dear Parents and Carers

Saint Patrick

The prayer above is a less common, yet beautiful prayer, associated with St Patrick and his ministry in Ireland. It is uplifting and leads us to reflect on placing our trust and have faith in God.

Today is the feast day of St Patrick. Saint Patrick was born in England, but when he was a teenager, he was captured by Irish pirates who took him to Ireland as a slave. After six years, Saint Patrick escaped and returned to England and his family. When Saint Patrick became a priest, he travelled back to Ireland as a missionary, so that he could teach the people about God. He used examples to explain the mysteries of the faith in simple ways. One day, Saint Patrick compared the Trinity to a shamrock. He said that the shamrock has three leaves, but it is only one plant. In the same way, God is three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—but one God. (https://mycatholickids.com)

There are prayers, videos and resources on the website referenced above.

P and F Fundowner

The P and F Fundowner was a huge success. Students were fully engaged by three different attractions, allowing parents opportunities to connect with each other and their families. Thank-you to the P and F Committee members and volunteers for all your efforts in preparing for a fabulous afternoon for our community.

Naplan

Students in Years 3 and 5 have completed three NAPLAN assessments this week, with the final assessment scheduled for next Monday. This is a national test to track the progress of Year 3 and 5 students for the country, the state, systems and for schools. We utilise these tests for school planning and monitoring along with many other sources of data.

Caritas Turkey and Syria Earthquake Appeal

Thank-you to all of our community members for generously supporting the Caritas Turkey and Syria Earthquake Appeal, an genuine expression of our school motto ‘To Give is to Receive”. The students wore red, a colour represented in both the Turkish and Syrian flags. Thank-you to the Social Justice Team and Mrs Tormay for coordinating this fundraiser.

Harmony Week

Harmony Week is an opportunity for all Western Australians to celebrate our vibrant multicultural state while working together to remove barriers. The week runs from 15 to 21 March every year and encourages everyone to experience, explore and appreciate WA's wealth of cultural, religious and linguistic diversity (Office of Multicultural Interests). Students are completing activities in class, linking the theme of Harmony Week with our School Value of Respect. Student work will be displayed next week.

Your Move Program – Silver Accreditation

We are involved in the Department of Transport Your Move School Program; a program to help students to be more active by walking, scooting and riding to school. Congratulations to the students for working together, with Mrs Lake, to achieve silver accreditation.

Understanding Me and Healthy Relationships Project

Kathryn Warburton, our social worker, has secured a Department of Health grant to provide a program for Year 1 to 3 students, incorporating both lesson-based and experiential learning. Classroom-based activities focus on emotional literacy, regulation and expression and how these impact friendships at school, through a lens of understanding, acceptance and inclusion. The experiential component will be run in the quad during lunchtime play where various activities will be set up. This play will be overseen by the teacher on duty and the Social Worker, who can support 'in-the-moment' opportunities to practise emotion regulation strategies, problem-solving skills and friendship skills. Thank you to Kathryn Warburton for coordinating this project.

Term 1 Parent Meetings

Access to the online booking system to make an appointment for a parent-teacher interview is now open. Parents are required to make an appointment if you have not yet had a formal parent-teacher meeting, this term. These meetings are an important part of the assessment and reporting procedure and enables parents/carers and teachers to discuss student progress and emphasise the partnership between home and school in developing each child to their full potential. Celebrating areas of success and setting some goals for future learning should be the focus of these meetings. Pre-primary to Year 3 will conduct Parent-Teacher interviews. Year 4 to Year 6 will conduct Parent-Student-Teacher (three-way interviews), so please bring your child with you. Three-way interviews are designed to help students develop responsibility for their learning and also to reinforce the partnership between home and school for the benefit of each child.

Road Safety

When using the back gate pick-up, parents must park in a marked bay. Pulling up on the road for your child to get into the car is dangerous, particularly due to the curve and narrow width of the road. Drive-through pick-up is only available inside the school carpark at the green shed.

Kindy and Pre-Kindy Enrolments 2024

Kindy and Pre-Kindy interviews for 2024 will commence early next term. If you have a child who is due to begin Kindy or Pre-Kindy in 2024, please ensure your application has been received by the school office.

Junior Assembly

We invite you to join us for the Junior Assembly next Friday afternoon at 2.30pm.

Our deepest sympathy is extended to the Windeyer family after the sudden passing of their older daughter/sister. Please keep the Windeyer family in your prayers.

Best wishes and God bless.

Dee Johnston

PRINCIPAL

Free Dress Day for Caritas Turkey and Syria Appeal.

Thank you to everyone who generously donated to the fundraiser to support the Caritas Turkey and Syria Earthquake appeal. We raised over $600. The money will be sent to Caritas to assist those affected by this natural disaster.

This is an example of putting our school motto “To Give is to Receive” into action.

Project Compassion

Project Compassion will continue throughout the season of Lent with each class having their own Project Compassion box. Project Compassion aims to work towards making the lives of others better around the world. This year’s theme is For Future Generations. Students may wish to do extra chores around the house to earn money or go without a special treat such as an ice-cream and donate the money to Project Compassion.

https://www.caritas.org.au/project-compassion/a-day-with-thu/

Parent Teacher Interviews will be held from Monday, 20th to Friday, 31st March. Please book a time via the link: https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au/code/8vsbk

There will be one late evening available to cater for working parents. It is an important expectation that teachers meet with parents to work together in developing the best outcomes for our children.

• Pre-Primary to Year 3 - parent/carer and teacher only
• Year 4-6 - student, parent/carer and teacher

Friday 24th March is National Ride your bike to school day. We encourage all our students who are able to do so to ride their bike or scooters to school on this day. We look forward to seeing lots of our students riding their bikes or scooters to school.

Our Make a Move concerts are fast approaching! Students have been busy refining their moves to showcase to our Mums, Dads, Carers and anyone else that wants to attend.

Please see below for information on the simple costumes that children will be asked to wear.

Do you know anyone that may be interested in teaching an extra-curricular Italian Language afterschool program? We have a good number of families that are interested in attending classes. The after hours program will be coordinated by Italo-Australian Welfare and Cultural Centre (IAWCC). If you or someone you know may be interested, please contact the office or more information. (admin@orana.wa.edu.au)

Monday 20th - Parent Teacher Interviews Commence

Monday 20th - NAPLAN - Numeracy - Yr 3 and 5

Monday 20th - Year 3 Leadership Lunch

Wednesday 22nd - P and F Canteen Day

Thursday 23rd March - Make a Move

Thursday 23rd March - Advisory Council Meeting 6pm

Friday 24th March - Make a Move

Friday 24th March - Year 4 Reconciliation

Friday 24th March - Junior Assembly 2.30pm