Newsletter 16 - 24 September
- FROM THE PRINCIPALS
- COVID- 19
- Clubs Assembly
- Words of the Week
- Ballajura Lions Club Book Donation
- Book Fair
- Campus Collection Competition
- ESC Snippets
- YCDI
- All Abilities Art Project
- TA11 Garden
- Equals Maths Goal Setting
- Playskills
- WASO Incursion
- Chaplain's Corner
- Yoga
- Meet the Board
- Mindfulness
- Better Beginnings
- Staff Swimming Qualifications
- INDONESIAN
- P & C
- Community News
Dear Parents & Carers,
Great to see our community members thriving, not just surviving a very busy, eventful term 3. As COVID restrictions have eased somewhat, there have been many diverse and engaging opportunities for students to showcase their talents at South Ballajura campus.
Students gave their best at our Faction Carnival and also at the Interschool Carnival. It is a pleasure to see students being good sports as well as being good at sport. As parents and teachers we are the role models for this. Many students have been rewarded for demonstrating the "You Can Do It Keys" to success with tokens, progress certificates, weekly Boost Box, Pizza with the Principal and the Faction Reward. Karijini students were treated to our first magician show.
In the last fortnight we have enjoyed the Clubs Assembly and TA28 & TA16 Assembly.
We also had the opportunity to enjoy visiting performances given by WASO and the BCC Band. It was terrific to see confident ex-South Ballajura Primary and ESC Students in the BCC Band.
Another visitor was the Honourable Rita Saffioti, MLA, West Swan who supports physical fitness with a bike donation and our sustainability efforts by planting trees. Have you noticed the increased number of garden beds around the campus? Recycling foodscraps, paper, ring pulls, bread tabs and plastic bottle caps are ongoing activities.
Although Open Night activities were a little restricted due to physical distancing requirements it was a terrific opportunity for student’s to proudly show their work to parents/ family members as well as enjoying some food. Combined efforts raised $1000 towards Year 6 Graduation. Thank you to everyone who contributed.
New Faces in the front office
Welcome to Miss Brianna Pecnik who will be ESC Relief MCS in weeks 1-4 next term, whilst Mrs Lee-anne Green is on well-deserved Long Service Leave.
Thank you and all the best to Ana Mocanu for her contribution to the South Ballajura Campus. The new Primary School officer from term 4 will be Ms Bronwyn Sinclair.
Swimming Reminder
Parents and Carer’s are reminded that In-Term swimming is coming up straight after the school break in weeks 3 and 4 of Term 4, from Wednesday 26 October to Friday 6 November for the Pre-primary to Year 6 classes including the ESC students. Cost is $55 per student.
So please label any of the towels, costumes, goggles and bags that your child will be taking to the pool.
Please remember nameless unclaimed items will be disposed of after the swimming lessons.
The lesson timetables will be given to teachers early next term.
Primary School and ESC Kindy Enrolments
The enrolments for 2021 are underway and all families within the Primary School local catchment area and students with Special Needs in the surrounding suburbs are encouraged to apply to enrol their children in either school.
Please find a Primary Kindy Application or an Application to Enrol in Education Support Form attached below. Alternatively please come to the front office Monday to Friday, between 8am and 3:30pm and we can give you a hard copy.
When returning the application, you will be asked to present:
- Your child’s Birth Certificate (original or certified copy) or birth extract or equivalent identity documents;
- A copy of your child’s Australian Immunisation Register (AIR) Immunisation History Statement printed in the last two months (no Older than two months)
- Proof of your child’s usual place of residence: for example, utilities account, lease agreement, ownership of the property, driver’s licence, statutory declaration;
- Copies of any Family Court or other court orders (If applicable);
- and Visa details (If applicable).
We are looking forward to meet all new students in 2021!
Families Who Are Leaving in 2021
Planning is well underway for the 2021 school year. If you are leaving the Primary or ESC school (NOT Year 6 students), please complete the slip below or phone the Primary School office on 9207 0100 or the ESC on 9207 0150 and let us know. This will assist us in organising staff and classes for 2021. Please note that the Department of Education requires a nominated date in term one of return for students returning after 1 February 2021 in order for the school to be able to access funding.
COVID-19 UPDATE
Safety of our school community is important. Schools will be provided with additional DoE funding for enhanced COVID-19 cleaning to be continued in Term 4.
Clubs Assembly
Wonderful to be back on stage! The Drumming, Signing and Jump Jam club members were simply awesome. What a showcase of talent that has been bursting at the seams to perform since Term 1. We had a few technical difficulties but the students shone through. Bring on International Day of People with Disabilities Assembly in Term 4.
Ballajura Lions Club Book Donations
Ballajura Lions Club Book Donation – South Ballajura Campus would like to sincerely thank the Ballajura Lions Club and Ziggies Education for their donation of books for the library. The books were presented to Tanya Larsen (Primary School Library Officer) by Kay Scandrett, Lions Club representative.
Book Fair
Many thanks to our wonderful community for a successful Book Fair this year. We sold $3800.00 worth of books over the course of the week which means that the school receives approximately $600.00 worth of “Scholastic Rewards Points” which will go towards purchasing resources for the school.
Campus Collection Competition
Our Campus has achieved another great success in contributing to a safer environment by collecting a grand total of 45,000+ bread tags and bottle caps.
Although some classes decided not to compete this time they have contributed with a great number of items to the total amount collected.
The winning Primary School class this term is TA7 with a total of 9,082 items and the winning ESC class is TA5 with a total of 11,231 items.
Congratulations to the winning classes and a big thank you to everyone who has contributed to this worthwhile cause. Remember the competition is on again next term as well. Good Luck and happy holiday recycling.
Faction Carnival Recounts
TA5
In Week 8 TA5 wrote some fantastic recounts about the Sport Carnival. Below are some work samples from two superstars Ian and Seth. We also discussed Red Hat feelings about what our favourite parts of the day were. Here are some student highlights of the day:
“I liked the running race” – Xavier
“Running” – Adam
“The running race” – Elijah
“Ball” (Tunnel Ball) - Kiden
TA11
TA17
YCDI
During Term 2 & 3, 29 ESC students (27 in term 3) have received YCDI certificates.
35 certificates have been presented so far, with 7 students receiving their second certificate.
Congratulations to everyone demonstrating the YCDI 5 Keys to Success – Confidence, Getting Along, Persistence, Organisation and, especially, Resilience.
Everyone can choose to do it!
All Abilities Art Project
Equals Maths Goal Setting
During group Explicit Direct Instruction Maths sessions in TA16, we have been learning about ‘patterns’. First, children looked at various patterns that we see everyday such as colours and shapes. Then, we focussed on why it is important for us to recognise patterns in ‘hundred chart’. We learnt that counting in 5s, 10s and other number patterns help us to solve number problems efficiently. It was great to see students achieving their goals by ‘checking for understanding’ themselves and sharing their findings with others in the group. Fantastic work!
“Making Me”
This week at Playskills our awesome students helped their younger friends to make playdough versions of themselves. This was a great hands on activity. The focus was teamwork and communication. We have had a lot of fun whilst learning with this group of students in term 3.
WASO Incursion
The South Ballajura Education Support Centre was very privileged on Friday 11 September with a visit from a WASO string quartet. This was the first performance in 2020 by WASO Education Community Engagement; bringing the orchestra to schools’ program for students with Special Needs. A lot of students got their ‘conductor’ happening or simply enjoyed recognizing the familiar tunes. Frozen was a very popular choice. Ruby claimed Friday was her best day ever, “tree planting in the morning and music in the afternoon”.
YOGA
On Friday 18 September we had the awesome Regina and Amy from Yogazeit run mindfulness sessions for each class.
Breathing, Body Shapes and Relax were the 3 goals of the day.
We were shown some excellent breathing and yoga techniques to calm the body when stressed or anxious.
Students and Teachers had a wonderful day which also included making our own sensory eye pillows and mind bottles for each classroom.
Quote of the day from one student was “ Thank you that was the best day” “If I get upset I will take a big breath to make me calm”!!
Meet the Board
Hi my name is Cheryl Lennox and, as you would know, I am Principal of SBESC. I have had 40 fabulous years in education – every one a new adventure! (even in the same school)
Some things that you may not know about me ……
I started as a graduate teacher in Melbourne, then rural WA in Geraldton and Meekathara before moving to Perth. I have taught in mainstream primary schools and a High School (ESU), an Ed Support School, as well as being a teacher at School of the Air (with the biggest classroom in the world and a joey mascot!)
I started my Ed Support journey as swimming teacher at Holland Street School, hence, my bias for pool/ water safety & skills. I am an inaugural South Ballajura Campus staff member (along with my eldest daughter who was in Year One in 1994!) I was a part-time, then fulltime teacher and then principal in 2000. My younger daughter also attended South Ballajura Primary School and was one of the 900+ students in 1996. I was involved in Ed Support Curriculum Development in Central Office and have been chair of 2 networks.
Over recent years the Centre has grown in enrolments from level 3 to level 4. It is a pleasure to be working with dedicated staff and parents which enabled us to become an Independent Public School in 2014 and qualify as a finalist in the WA Education Awards School of the Year in 2015 – testimony to our T.E.A.M philosophy.
I remain passionate about inclusive education where everyone belongs and has a voice.
I have been married for 40+ years. Our two daughters are both married and I have 2 gorgeous grandsons, who have just turned 2 and 4 in September. I have now experienced the ASD diagnosis/NDIS journey with the eldest one as a grandparent, giving me new insight. (He escaped during his assessment with 6 adults in the room!)
Our family are world travelers currently on hold due to COVID-19, so I was extremely lucky to have attended a global principals’ conference in Shanghai in October 2019, pre-pandemic!
I also thoroughly enjoy time with family & friends, learning new things, gardening, walking, music, reading, retail therapy and yes, Netflix!
Staff Mindfulness
During a few of our ESC meeting times our staff have been trialling different Mindfulness practices to help us to increase our ability to regulate emotions; decrease stress; anxiety and depression; and to focus our attention on the tasks we have to perform at work. Some of the practices included colouring, Tai Chi, yoga and a walking group.
Better Beginnings
Today Swan Libraries staff from Ballajura Public Library visited our school to drop off kindy students their very own green Better Beginnings Book Packs. You may remember receiving a yellow Better Beginnings pack from your child health nurse when your child was a baby. This free pack includes a beautiful book and fun activities that you and your child can do together.
There is also information from your local library too, about joining (it’s free) and also the wide range of books, magazines and movies that you and your child can borrow. The libraries also run free activities throughout the year, and even during the holidays.
Ballajura Public Library is conveniently located at corner Kingfisher Avenue and Illawarra Crescent South please bring some identification that shows name and current address or go to Swan Libraries at https://www.swan.wa.gov.au/Your-Services/Library-membership to join online.
Staff Swimming Qualifications
In preparation for the ESC water familiarisation program starting and whole school swimming in some of our staff have been upskilling so they can keep our students safe in water based environments and on excursions. A few of our team completed refreshers for the Playleaders and Bronze Medallion qualifications. We'd just like to say a huge thank you to Mrs Jane Green for her support and facilitating both these wonderful courses.
INDONESIAN
As this is the last week of Term 3, the students will be completing unfinished tasks, organising their folders for next term and revising the term‘s work through song and games.
Here’s wishing everyone a relaxing and enjoyable holiday. Keep safe and remember to social distance. Selamat Hari Libur semua!
Salam
Ibu Francis
P & C
Our next P& C meeting will be on Tuesday 20th October, 3.20pm in the Library.
We will be discussing and voting on how the available P& C finds will be spent. The schools have submitted funds requests for several projects including subsiding excursions for each year level, STEM equipment (including robotics), iPads, bike track equipment and several other ideas.
Come along and have your say!
Memberships costs only $1.
Hope to see you there!
Annette Hopkinson
0434357187
