10 March 2021

Newsletter Articles

Dates to Remember

Please refer to the side panel “School Calendar” section for the “live” calendar of events for information

Principal’s Introduction

School Website

The school website is currently going through a make-over and change of host. Whilst the current website is still running we are unable to add any new content until the new host, SchoolZine who also host our newsletter, can reconstruct and make requested changes. Our aim is to improve the quality and reliability of the school’s website and make it much easier to add and remove content in a timely manner that will be so much better for viewers. It is anticipated that this process will take about six weeks. In the meantime important information will be distributed via email and class notices.

The resulting changes has been from the result of feedback from the school survey, Admin and staff discussions and general feedback from parent and community viewers. The school website address will remain the same as below.

Staff Car Park and Front Office Update

At long last the new Staff Carpark is underway. It is amazing to think this will be the first Staff Cark since the school was built in 1955. I am told that when the Scarborough District Office was located at Newborough there was a small car park near were the Kindy is now. It will have 26 bays including disability parking and a spill area for staff to safely park on grassed areas in front of the Kindy and Mulberry Tree Day-care. As we have 47 staff members, not all here at the same time, this will free considerable parking for parents and visitors. Already the fence is up and groundworks commenced. It is anticipated that if all goes well the car park will be completed and ready in four weeks. Realistically we are looking at the commencement of term two. There will be some disruption, noise and dust and changes to access for periods of time. This may be a little inconvenient but certainly worth a bit of pain for the longer-term gain. I ask that all staff, parents and visitors be extra careful when parking and reversing. Students have been reminded about road safety.

As you can see in the photo Mrs Murdoch’s Kindy Green kids are keenly watching developments and are making their own car park in the sandpit. What a great opportunity for creative play. STEM starts in Kindy and home play.

The works in the Front Office to remove asbestos tiles and product has now completed with full clearance from Asbestos testing. This extensive and complicated work resulted from the discovery that lino tiles laid in the original construction contained asbestos. This was perfectly safe until we came to replace the old carpet. Thank you to everyone, especially the office staff who relocated and worked in different areas of the school, for your patience and understanding. It will take slightly longer to come back to normal as we are replacing the front counter and work spaces in the Reception. Hopefully not too long now.

Science at Newborough

Science is a valued Pre-primary to Year Six specialist program that links to the Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics priority in our new Business Plan. Kindy’s also do lots of Science through play based activities. Mrs Metcalf is our very enthusiastic and hardworking Science teacher who was appointed in 2018. She is very passionate about Science at Newborough. In 2019 the Art/Science room was converted into a specialist Science classroom and key resources and furniture was purchased from the refurbishment grant. The aim of the Science program is to provide a comprehensive coverage of the Western Australian Science Curriculum in a fun and exciting environment that equips students with Science knowledge, understanding, skills, processes and the language of investigation. We use a Science program called Primary Connections that was developed by the Australian Academy of Science. Most importantly we develop enthusiastic, inquisitive Scientific minds. Ultimately this provides a pathway into Science at high school and beyond.

During the last week I visited many of the Science classes. Students are excited as they walk into the room looking at the equipment put out for the day’s lesson. All lessons follow a similar structure beginning with a recall of the last lesson followed by an introduction of the new topic and learning expectations. The students work in teams of two or three with specific roles such as Manager who collects and returns all materials, the Speaker who asks the teacher and other Speakers for help and the Director who makes sure the team understands the investigation and shares out tasks. Each term topics are changed through the core areas of Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Earth and Space Sciences and Physical Sciences. This term we are doing:

I interviewed a range of children to find out what they liked about Science at Newborough:

‘I like creating potions in Science and learning to make potions. Science is fun.’ Sebastian (Pre-primary)

‘I like making things like boxes. I love going to Science.’ Jason (Pre-primary)

‘I like learning new things. I like holding hands when we are going to the Science Room. Darcy (Pre-primary)

‘I like that we do lots of experiments and learn different ways.’ Zoe Year 6

I like Mrs Metcalf and the way she teaches us. It’s always fun.” Muse Year 6

‘I like how in Science Mrs Metcalf lets us try experiments in many ways.’ Izzy Year 6

I like Science because Mrs Metcalf explains everything really clearly and she makes Science so interesting.’ Tahni Year 6

School Board Happenings

The 2021 School Board has been extremely busy. This year we welcomed new parent representative Mrs Becky McGuckin, Community representatives Ms Neha Patel and Mr Richard Goodwin and staff representative Miss Lauren Danker. They join the experienced team of Mr Callan Rose, Mr Cameron Leckey, Mr Iain Garrett, Mr Jason Davis, Miss Sarah Lydon and Mr John Worthy.

All Board members undertook an Induction Training session conducted by Mrs Steph McDonald, Director of the Learning Institute. This was very informative and ensures we all understand our roles and responsibilities. At the first official meeting Callan Rose was re-elected as Board Chair and Cameron Leckey as Deputy Chair. Richard Freeman and Becky McGuckin will share Secretary duties. Mrs Liza Harvey was endorsed ass the School Patron for a second year.

Much of the first meeting was procedural as we looked at codes of conduct, terms of reference and discussed meeting schedules and content for the year. The Board has agreed to meet six times, more if needed. We will meet twice in terms one and four and once in terms two and three. The Board noted the resourcing of our new Business Plan and the make up of the Finance Committee. The Board will look at the possibility of creating several sub-committees to assist the school with Facilities, Policy Development and Community Engagement.

This week several members of the School Board attended a working breakfast with other Ocean Net Boards at Deanmore PS. Here local School Boards shared what they are doing and how we can work together as a local group of schools.

Year 6 Camp and Leadership Conference

To think that a year ago at this time we were ready to take the year sixes away on camp for three days at Bickley Camp School when the COVID restrictions hit and all camps were closedown, along with many other school activities. Fingers crossed that we don’t get a sudden lockdown and that this year’s group of year sixes can enjoy and benefit from their three-day camp back at our favourite Point Peron Camp School. Camp is really important to challenge students to take on a range of activities that will test their resilience, capacity to problem solve and work in a team environment, learn to live away from home and make new friends. It’s also lots of fun. We have always taken the approach that camp is a learning experience that helps set our graduating group up for transition to high school.

Year Six students recently attended the Ocean Net Student Leaders Conference at the Bendat Basketball Stadium and Challenge Stadium next door in Mt Claremont. Mr Stenhouse once again did a brilliant job organising and hosting the event. The day began with two keynote speakers. Our own School Patron, Mrs Liza Harvey and Abbey Glenister from Zero2Hero. Students took notes and asked lots of great questions. After this schools mixed, putting students through their paces doing team work and problem solving activities. Later in the day students discussed what leadership means to them and how they will apply this at school, home and in the community. It was a great day!

At Newborough we try to offer as many leadership opportunities as possible. All our students are considered leaders whether they have an official role or not. Official roles include Head and Deputy Head Girls and Boys, Faction Leaders, Music, Science, PBW and Sustainability Leaders. All are coached and supported by teachers.

Clean Up Newborough Day

Very excited and keen year two students from Ms Murray and Miss Ott-Kelly’s class took on the challenge to undertake a rubbish scavenger hunt around the school last Thursday. This was part of Keep Australia Beautiful Day for Schools. The children were briefed about safety, what we define as rubbish and how and where to collect it. Using gloves, buckets and tongs kindly supplied by our local Innaloo Bunnings store the children split up into teams of three and headed off with Ms Murray, Miss Ott-Kelly and Mr Worthy to three different areas of the school. We restricted our search to inside the fence as there was quite a bit of construction and work happening around the school that day.

After a scavenger hunt the three larger groups met at the Newbie Knights Sustainability Shed where we sorted out the rubbish into three categories; plastics, paper, cardboard and other. We were very pleasantly surprised to only find 2 ½ kilos of rubbish across our whole school. The majority of the weight coming from a broken tile and piece of concrete rubble. There was very little plastic and paper waste. We surmised that most of the paper and cardboard had blown in and had been there for some time given the broken down state. Much had been munched by the lawn mowers. The class agreed that we need to remind everyone to keep rubbish bin lids closed after use as it seems this might be the cause for most of our litter, especially near the big rubbish bins near the Gardener’s Sheds. We didn’t find any lunch wrappers as the class had predicted. There were a couple of muesli bar wrappers and two 10 cent containers. We also found a rubber ‘hand ball’ and dinky truck that we were able to give back to the owners.

We concluded that everyone was doing the right thing recycling plastics, paper and containers and using the bins properly around our school. Well done Newborough! We are very proud of our lovely school and want to keep it that way.

John Worthy
Principal

TERM DATES

2021

School Directory

DoE Security

Keep an eagle eye on our school!

School Watch encourages the school community to report any suspicious activity in and around school grounds, after hours and on weekends, as well as during school holidays.

Telephone 1800 177 777 (freecall) or 13 14 44 (WA Police).

Please do not approach any individuals, just contact security and they will investigate the situation or contact the Police. Working together will help protect our school.

2021 Voluntary Contributions

Our School Board have approved the Voluntary Contributions and Charges, in line with Department of Education requirements, which will remain at $60 per child for 2021. These were sent home with family representatives last week

While contributions are voluntary, the quality of our teaching/learning programs will be enhanced by your contribution, which is used to supplement expenditure in the following areas.

• Reading Resources
• Mathematics Resources
• Art/Craft
• Technology

Total Contribution $60

The P&C contribution will remain at $30 per child for 2021

You can elect to pay the 2021 voluntary contributions via your booklist if you are ordering your books through the P&C, or pay the school direct via internet banking to our bank account

Newborough Primary School
BSB 016 350 Account number 3408 71304.

If you are paying the school direct, please ensure you use “your child’ surname and 2021” as the reference so we can credit the correct account.

Thank you to all those parents who pay these contributions early in the year, we really appreciate it.

Student Update Forms

Student update forms were sent home with your child last week. Please edit these forms, if necessary, and return them to your child’s classroom teacher by Friday March 5, even if there are no changes.

It’s important that we have the correct information for your child on our school database, should we need to contact you at any time and particularly if your child’s health circumstances have changed.

If you have misplaced this form, please let your teacher or the office know and we will print out a new one.

2021 Student Diaries Available

We have a limited number of student diaries available from our school office for $10. If you would like a school diary, please make payment via direct deposit (see details below). Please email proof of payment to newborough.ps@education.wa.edu.au. Once payment has cleared we will deliver to your child’s teacher.

Newborough Primary School
BSB: 016 350
Account: 3408 71304

COVID-19 and Sick Students

We are still amid the pandemic response and the risks are ever present, as witnessed by the recent unexpected outbreaks in South Australia. This means we continue to stick strongly to the health recommendations for social distancing, particularly for adults. Here at school, we actively promote washing hands, cleaning with disinfectant, staying home if unwell and sneezing/coughing into the crux of the elbow. Please do NOT send your child/ren to school if they are exhibiting any cold-like symptoms. The restrictions for social distancing of students has been relaxed by the Education Department on advice from the Health Department for schools. We still apply distancing as much as practical in the classroom and playgrounds.

Birthday Cakes/Gifts for Students

A reminder that we are not allowing the sharing of birthday cakes, presents etc. for birthdays or other celebrations due to the COVID restrictions. It remains too risky.

PICKING UP YOUR CHILD DURING THE DAY

If your child needs to be collected from school during school hours (eg. attending an appointment or leaving early), can you please email the school at newborough.ps.absentee@education.wa.edu.au and your child’s class teacher ahead of time (the day before or in the morning would be great). Please include a reason for early pick up and the approximate time you will be here. This will help with coordinating your child to be waiting at the office when you arrive and lessen your wait time.

Absentees

Just a friendly reminder that if your child will be absent, please contact the School directly either by:

Please include only the student’s name and room number, reason for absence and the date in any messages – the use of apostrophes, a colon or emoji results in the school receiving a blank message, and we are unable to accurately update your child’s record.

For Example: “John Doe Room 13 absent 1/2/2017 sick with flu”.

Thank You
Administration Staff

Deputy News

Special Group School Photos

The online ordering system is now ready to view and purchase the Special Group Photos (eg Choirs, Faction Captains, Science Captains, PBW Captains,. . .) recently taken. Please note that this website is DIFFERENT to the one parents order school portraits and class photos.

1. To place your Order online simply go to https://mspphotography.shootproof.com/
2. Locate the Schools Name, then select the album titled: Newborough PS Specialist Groups - 2021
3. You will then be required to enter a password to view the Album. The password for this XVNCJE21
4. Please ensure that you use your child’s name at the checkout
5. The images you are viewing are uncropped and will be cropped to fit to a 10x8 print (as per the first image in your gallery, a sample of layout & colour)

• The online orders will be open until midnight on Tuesday, 16 March 2021 – for the Bulk Pricing Offer
• The Bulk Pricing Offer is $20 per print and these will be delivered to the school BY CLASS GROUP
• After the $20 pricing expires, the photos will remain available online, but the photos are now at a cost of $35 per image and delivered to a preferred address.

If you have any queries please contact MSP Photography on 9240 8000 or via email on ordering.perth@msp.com.au

Harmony Week – Developing Cultural Acceptance through Harmony Week- Week 8

Harmony Day (Sunday the 21st of March) celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity. In schools we celebrate inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for all Australians, from the traditional owners of the land to those who have come from many countries around the world. The ongoing theme of Harmony Day is ‘everyone belongs’. Harmony Day is a day of cultural respect for all and an understanding how all Australians equally belong to this nation and enrich it.

As part of our Harmony Week activities this year in Week 8, Term 1, we will have open classes in Japanese for parents to attend, a Harmony Day assembly and all students will participate in making Friendship Bands with their colour of their national flag/Aboriginal flag.

Japanese Open Classrooms – Week 8: Wednesday 24th – Friday 26th March

NPS and Sensei Pemberton warmly invites parents to participate in their child’s Japanese lesson during Week 8. Please see the timetable below. Please sign in at the front office to attend the lesson before making your way over to the Japanese classroom. Please note that you must have signed a Confidentiality Declaration form to attend the Japanese open lesson. These forms can be found in the Front Office if you have not already signed and returned one.

YOGAZOO

Yogazoo! It may sound familiar to you! This is the Yoga Program we organised in 2020 for Term 2 that was cancelled due to COVID-19. We have rebooked this program for Term 2 this year as part of our Wellbeing program.

Newborough Primary School has always had a major focus on the pastoral care of our students. For the last three years we have been involved in a well-being journey to complement our Positive Behaviour in Schools program which focusses on the positive behaviours of Respect, Team Work, Kindness and Challenge Yourself. This year we are continuing to implement the Smiling Minds program and Yogazoo in Schools program. These two programs work together to provide students with the benefits of yoga and mindfulness in helping them to develop skills and strategies to assist them in becoming calm, focussed and emotionally balanced individuals. The program is non spiritual and accommodates students of all backgrounds and religions and links to our Health Education program. As such, it is an expectation that all students participate in the program.

Some of the benefits of this program may include:

• enhancing motor skills, balance and coordination
• improving concentration
• boosting attention and focus
• reducing anger and frustration
• improving quality of sleep
• reducing stress, anxiety and depression
• encouraging creativity and self confidence

We hope the strategies and skills that students learn equip them with life skills that they may continue to draw on.

The program will be conducted by a Perth based company called Yogazoo. Their website can be accessed through the following link.

The program will cost $12.00 per child and payment and the incursion form is due by Friday 23rd April 2021. (We will send the forms home in Week 6)

This is the first time Newborough Primary School has introduced yoga for children into our school. We believe it will be beneficial for all students and hope it is well supported by our community.

Protective Behaviours

As part of Newborough Primary School’s commitment to being a child safe organisation, all classes complete a unit of work set by the Department of Education, called Protective Behaviours throughout the school year.

Protective Behaviours is an internationally acclaimed personal safety and child abuse prevention program endorsed by the Department of Education in Western Australia. The program is based on two key themes: "We all have the right to feel safe at all times" and "We can talk with someone about anything, no matter what it is"

THE 10 MAIN PROTECTIVE BEHAVIOURS TOPIC AREAS INCLUDE:

1. Theme One "We all have the right to feel safe at all times" & Feelings
2. Early Warning Signs (the physical sensations we experience in our body when feeling unsafe or excited).
3. Safety Continuum (safe I fun to feel scared I risking on purpose I unsafe) & Problem Solving (How could someone feel safe even if...?).
4. Theme 2 "We can talk with someone about anything, no matter what it is" & Secrets.
5. Networks (Identifying adults that we can talk with and ask for help if we feel unsafe I scared I worried). 6. Persistence Expectation (Persisting in asking for help until you feel safe again).
6. Body Awareness and Ownership & Private and Public parts of the body (including teaching and using the correct anatomical names for private parts of the body), Private and Public clothing I Private and Public places I Private and Public behaviours.
7. Personal Space (social distance) & Safe and Unsafe Touch.
8. Assertiveness (body language/ tone of voice I NO GO TELL).
9. Theme and Program Reinforcement

Parents and carers are encouraged to access the Protective Behaviours Parent resource from our school website to learn more about this program in order to further support and reinforce the messages and concepts covered at school.

If you would like further information regarding this program, please do not hesitate to speak to either your child’s classroom teacher or a member of the administration team.

NAPLAN Online 2021

This year, all students in Years 3 and 5 will participate in the annual NAPLAN tests online. The assessment window for NAPLAN Online is from Tuesday 11th May to Friday 21st May 2021. Newborough Primary School will be holding a one hour information session on NAPLAN Online for any interested Year 3 and 5 parents on Thursday 18th March from 3.10-4.00pm in the school library. Please do not hesitate to contact either Mr Stenhouse or Miss Tucknott if you have queries in regards to NAPLAN Online 2021.

School Musical – Matilda Jr – Week 7 Term 4 2021

I am not sure who is more excited, our students or our Performing Arts teacher, Mrs Andria Snelson but our School Musical is back this year in Term 4. The musical this year is Matilda Jr and all students from Year 3-6 will be performing in it. The musical will once again be held at the Churchlands Concert Hall on Tuesday 23rd November and Wednesday 24th November from 7-8.15pm. A lot more information will come out through the year in regards to the musical.

HOW CAN YOU HELP? The school musical is always a very big production and needs a committed group of parents to assist with us with organising it. Mrs Snelson and I are inviting any interested parents to form a committee with us to help organise the musical for your children please. Parents should have children in Years 3-6 and be willing to help with either advertising materials, ticketing, costumes, sets, props, hair, make-up ect. It is lots of fun and very worthwhile. If you are interested, can you please email me as we will be keen to have a meeting mid term to start the process of organising this year’s musical.  (We have seen those great home made face masks out there this week, so we know some people can definitely sew!!!!)

We wish you all a fabulous year at Newborough Primary. Please do not hesitate to contact either John Worthy, Nick Stenhouse or myself if you have any queries.

Tech Tips

We are often asked at school how much time is too much time for students to be online. This can be a contentious issue and can vary greatly between families. The right amount of screen time can depend on a range of factors like your child’s age and maturity, the kind of content they are consuming, their learning needs and your family routine. It can be easy to focus only on the clock, but the quality and nature of what they are doing online, and your involvement, are just as important. Attached is a good resource with tips for managing your child's screen time.

Honour Certificate Recipients

Term 1 - Week 5 – Friday, 5 March

P&C News

Events

The Democracy Sausage Sizzle is almost upon us. Although early voting has opened we are still hoping for a good turnout at Newborough on Saturday 13th. Please spread the word to all your friends and family in the area to come to Newborough and support our school and fundraising efforts. This year our goal is to re-develop our Nature Play, such an asset to the entire community - all funds will go towards this fantastic initiative.

Even if they have already cast their vote, there will be Egg and Bacon rolls, Sausage Sizzle, Lady Latte coffee van and Sweet Treats (freshly cooked danishes, lolly bags, cake stall).

BUT, we need your help to make it all happen!

Help Needed

Please sign up to volunteer a couple of hours on the day - we need parents to cook the BBQ, selling treats, taking payments, setting up and packing away. Sign yourself up to the same shift with a friend or two, it's a pretty fun way to assist our school and also meet some new faces.

Here is the link:

Cake Stall

In previous years we have asked all families to bake cakes/treats and fill a cake box. This year to take the pressure off parents, we have decided to order in fresh danishes. However, we would still love to offer some HOME BAKED goods. If baking is your thing then please do let us know. Cupcakes, brownies, muffins, gluten free options would be fantastic. We do have cake boxes available if needed otherwise baked goods can be brought to the stall first thing Saturday morning (or if pre-arranged dropped at the canteen on the friday afternoon).

If you can assist by baking something for us to sell then please let Carly know by emailing newboroughpcsec@gmail.com or text 0450540733

Thank you!
Your Newborough P&C

Canteen News

Canteen Open

The Canteen has reopened for 2021. We have nearly finalised the Term 1 Menu and will post it on the School’s website shortly.

Volunteers

We are always in need of volunteers for the Canteen to run effectively. As per last year, we will continue to encourage volunteers via the Parent Reps. However, we will now dedicate a week to each Classroom rather than a Year group. This will mean that each Classroom will only be asked to participate no more than once a term.

Even if it’s not your Classroom’s turn to assist, we are always happy for any time you can spare. Below is a link to the Volunteer Roster. Although a busy environment, it’s a supportive and friendly one. If you’re thinking of volunteering and have any questions, please feel free to pop in Monday/Wednesday/Friday or e-mail me at newborough.canteen.manager1@gmail.com.

Regards
Amanda

Uniform Shop News

If you have some spare time on Tuesday mornings we would welcome your help in the uniform shop Your valuable time is greatly appreciated

UNIFORM SHOP Hours

Tuesdays 8:15-8:45am.

ORDERS

Uniform ordering can be made via QuickCliq (if you know the size) with orders placed by Monday 3pm delivered by that Wednesday to your child’s classroom.

Community News

Barnes Karate

Target Sports

Schoolzine App

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