Newsletter 18 5 November 2020
Dear Parents/ Carers
As well as being eventful, celebrating successes and progress in an unusual COVID-19 year, staff and families are already planning for 2021. There are new enrolments still coming in, class formations, staffing changes as well as transition opportunities for new students and students moving on to high school – all fitted in around Year 6 camp, graduation and interm swimming!
It has been terrific visiting Bayswater Waves sessions and chatting to students about their swimming experiences and development. They certainly know what is expected at their swimming stage and have set goals for improvement. Their level of engagement in the water was evident. Learning this important lifeskill can also be lots of fun.
It was also a delight to see our Telethon Ambassador, Blain, being interviewed on TV last weekend. He spoke with confidence and compassion and did South Ballajura Campus proud.
There are about 45 different languages spoken at South Ballajura campus, so we are looking forward to the new multi-cultural “Welcome” mural being created over the next 6 weeks, facilitated by Sam and John from Community Connecting Youth (CCY). This is our second partnership project and we are appreciative of the grant from the Rotary Club of Ballajura-Malaga. Selected students from TA16,17 and 19 will commence research and planning tomorrow.
Now that the government has announced significant easing of border restrictions from 14 November, we need to be even more vigilant in following safe distance and hygiene practices to reduce the spread of COVID-19 virus and continue to enjoy our freedoms.
Also worth noting that we need to find ways to reduce our own stress in VUCA conditions - Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity. Please take care of yourselves and each other.
World Teachers Day
Our Director General, Lisa Rodgers, sent a letter of appreciation to all teachers. She acknowledged their dedicated expertise and extra care given in this pandemic year. Our campus teachers received a gift bag as a thank you from Admin.
We all had some good fun wearing the novelty glasses. (Can you recognise anyone?)
Primary School and ESC Kindy Enrolments
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 meeting 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.
Dear Parents/Carer’s,
We are encouraging you to come and look through the lost property as soon as possible. Any of these items that is unclaimed will be disposed of due to hygiene concerns by 20/11/2020.
On Friday the 30th of October TA 5 celebrated Halloween. Some of us followed the tradition of dressing up as something spooky and some of us were just happy to practice our Trick or Treating responses. We also learnt how to be safe when we went out for Trick or Treating on Saturday.
SBESC National School Opinion Surveys
Parent, staff and students from Years 2-6 were invited to participate in the National School Opinion Survey in term 3. Survey returns - Parents 33/52 families (64%), Staff 41/55 (75%) and selected students from Years 2-6 10/11 (91%). Thank you to everyone who completed the survey. We appreciate your valuable feedback, which will guide the Centre with its future planning.
Parent Survey (4.1-4.8 range)
Parent satisfaction was generally very high, ratings averaging above 4 out of 5 across all areas.
Given that we have had unprecedented COVID-19 circumstances, it was re-assuring that parents rated the following three areas highest:
4.8 Teachers at this school care about my child
4.7 My child’s teachers are good teachers
4.7 My child feels safe at this school
Whilst the lowest 3 parent scores still gained considerable satisfaction levels, they are areas we will continue to aim to improve upon as part of our next 3-year business plan:
4.1 This school has a strong relationship with the local community
4.2 This school takes parents’ opinions seriously
4.2 Teachers at this school expect my child to do their best
Student survey (4.1-4.8 range )
4.8 I like being at school (100% agree/strongly agree)
4.8 My school gives me opportunities to do interesting things (100% agree/strongly agree)
4.7 My teachers motivate me to learn (100% agree/strongly agree)
4.3 My school is well maintained
4.3 Student behaviour is well managed at my school
4.3 My school takes students’ opinions seriously
4.1 My school looks for ways to improve
Parent/Student Part 2 Analysis
Earlier staff surveys identified the desire for more ‘Artefacts’ and continued focus on improving outdoor learning areas, to promote student engagement & campus community sense of belonging. Consequently, Parents & students` opinions were also sought via a customised second survey section.
Responses from parents and green hat ideas about improving school grounds from students identified the following highest priority areas:
- Nature Playground
- Climbing Nets/Frame (a grant for low balance ropes has been successful)
- Multicultural Murals (second campus CCY partnership project this term)
- Flying Fox
SBESC has already actioned two of these projects, and a few others to enhance school grounds and will continue to seek further grants and donations to fund more projects.
All 3 different survey stakeholder groups agree on some common elements- SBESC ‘safety’ and ‘care` factors are highly regarded.
Hard copies are available from the front office.
Indonesian is easy to learn .It is phonetic. Every word is spelt the way it sounds. - JessePaedia
Year 3 students are currently learning to name fruits of Australia and Indonesia. They are also learning to communicate what fruits they like and dislike. They are working on activities taken from the Ketawa Year 3 program.
Year 4s will be learning the names of Indonesian Endangered Animals both in English and Indonesian. They will be completing activities from Ketawa Year 4. Indonesian Stories of some Endangered Animals will also be read to them.
Year 5 students are working on activities from Language Learning Space like Popular Indonesian games, games quizlet, More.....than, who plays when? and Congklak. They will also be completing activities in their Year 5 Ketawa student portfolios.
Year 6s have learnt to name their body parts and have completed various activities from Year 6 Ketawa student portfolios. They will be moving on to constructing
sentences using adjectives to describe themselves.
Happy Learning! Selamat Belajar!
Salam
Ibu Francis
Swimming Week 4 - One more day that TA14, TA7, TA16 and TA17 can ONLY order sandwiches!
Normal ordering will resume at the start of Week 5.
Thanks and regards
Bron and Kathy
