Newsletter 20 - 16 December 2021

Happy holidays everyone!

We wish to thank all campus staff and families for their contributions and support throughout the year. The past two weeks have been full of celebratory events. Congratulations to students on their progress and achievements this semester.

Mr Tamlin's farewell message

With the 2021 school year finishing today, I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday and joyful festive season.  My time as Principal of South Ballajura PS, sadly comes to and end today. I have thoroughly enjoyed being Principal of this incredible school. With my family not being able to join me from Esperance over the last six months, I have decided to return to Esperance, spend more time with them and go back to my previous job at Esperance PS. I would like to take the opportunity to thank the entire community for the warm welcome I received and have enjoyed this semester.

I have particularly enjoyed getting to know a large number of our students. After all, our students are why we are all here. We aim to provide our students with the best possible teaching and learning opportunities each and every day. I hope, that in my role of Principal, I have been able to positively impact classroom teaching and students’ learning.

With me moving on, I am pleased to inform you that Ms Karen Burgess, will be Principal here in Term 1, 2022. Ms Burgess is the current principal of Bailer Primary School in Port Hedland. She brings a great deal of experience as a school Principal to South Ballajura PS. I am sure you will welcome her with open arms, just as you did for me.

Reflecting on 2021, there have been many highlights throughout the year, but I would particularly like to acknowledge the graduating Year 6 students, who officially graduated from primary school on Tuesday. They are a delightful group of students and I have had the pleasure of making some very strong connections with some of the students, during this semester. I truly believe this is a testament to the quality of students we have graduating from Year 6 this year.

Your enthusiasm to support each other, in the classroom, playground and on the sporting field, is an admirable quality and a clear indication to the whole school community and your parents and carers, that you’re willing to be there for each other, and that you genuinely care about others. This attribute is one that is often lost in our current crazy, fast paced world. I sincerely encourage you to take this caring attitude with you as you go your own way into high school and beyond.

So, as you graduate from South Ballajura PS, reflect on the positives, keep caring for each other and the new people who come into your life and smile, be positive and look for solutions. Congratulations Year 6, the Class of 2021.

YEAR SIX AWARD WINNERS

As part of the Year 6 Graduation on Tuesday we also acknowledged and celebrated those students who excelled in particular areas of their schooling, in 2021 and were presented with awards. I wish to congratulate them all:

Many thanks to Ms Ngatia, Mrs Underwood, Mr Cooke, Mrs Joseph, Miss Gladwell, Mrs Southerland, our office staff and everyone who played role in preparing the students for the Graduation and all the ‘behind the scenes’ work, that made the day so memorable.

The afternoon’s River Cruise was certainly a great way to celebrate the students’ time at South Ballajura Primary Campus. Thank you to Mr Donegan, for organising this. 

Year 6 Graduation Day was such a beautiful, happy day. We cruised the Swan River enjoying the scenery and having lots of fun on board the Crystal Swan.

Natalie, Ruby, Tyler, Kenny and Jordan (TA16). 

Thank You & Farewell to Primary School Staff:

Mr Paul Cooke has been on ‘sick leave’ for some weeks but we did get to say good bye to him at the graduation ceremony on Tuesday. Mr Cooke will head into 2022 on leave, as he transitions to retirement. Mr Cooke has been as SBPS since 1998, teaching a range of year levels for those 23 years. He is well known for his bright shirts, having a kick on the oval when on duty, his Bernard the Bikie, dress up during Bookweek and his passion for sport. As a long-time chief judge or starter at athletics carnivals, coach and umpire of many sports, he will be sadly missed. Mr Cooke really embraced the Jump Jam phenomena and it forms part of his class daily fitness regime.  While Mr Cooke loves to teach maths and science, although, technology isn’t one of his favourite areas, he much preferred the days of blackboard and chalk!  The staff, students and parent community thank Mr Cooke for his role in educating many, many students over the years and for the positive impact he has had on many young lives. We wish him all the very best as he recovers from ankle surgery, and starts his adventures in his Winnebago!

Ms Bron McElroy - Canteen Manger and 'head chef', is also moving on from South Ballajura PS in 2022. Bron epitomizes our school community, friendly, caring, and welcoming. In my short time here Bron has made me feel very welcome, fed me and been an integral part of the feel of the school. She is going to be sadly missed as she begins some study to pursue a new career path. Thank you for the six years you have dedicated to the entire South Ballajura community, you are going to be sadly missed Bron.

Ms Deborah Jones - Chaplain is moving on to a fulltime chaplain positon, at another school. We wish her all the best in her new role, and she will be missed by so many of our children who have enjoyed spending time with her talk on a regular basis.

Ms Bronwyn Sinclair, School Officer is also moving on to another school as she also increases her work roster. We will miss her efficiency in the school front office and we wish her all the very best in her new role.

Pre-Primary Assembly

The ‘cuteness factor’ certainly made the last assembly of the year one to remember. The Pre Primary’s focus and attention to detail with their dance moves was so delightful and entertaining! Many thanks also, to our Prefects who supported the Pre Primaries in hosting our assembly.

Primary School 2022 Classes:
Teachers, Year levels and Classrooms

Kindy               Shana Leeson M-W             Natasha Adams Th-F

PP 1                 Tracey McKay                      Emily Ingley (Th)

PP 2                 Vicki Boffa                           Emily Ingley (W)

Year 1              Eileen Green (TA 1)

Year 1              Grace Mountford (TA 2)

Year 2              Gwen Davis (TA12)

Year 2              Kalee MacLeevernan (M)  Rachel Doyle T-F (TA13)

Year 3              Azza Ibrahim (TA9)   

Year 3              Morna McDonnell (TA10)

Year 4              Lucia Chodiman  (TA7)

Year 4              Ann-Marie Merrington (TA8)

Year 4/5           Penny James M-W   Lina Hamid Th-F (TA28)

Year 5             Craig Sutton-Smith (TA14)

Year 5              Paul Watson (TA15)

Year 6             Taryn Underwood (TA19)

Year 6              Kelly Gladwell (TA18)

Physical Education     Lina Hamid                 Mon – Wed

Music                       Helen Southerland      Mon – Fri 

Visual Arts                Hollie Joyce                Tue – Thur 

Yr 3 – 6 Languages    Daphne Francis          Mon - Wed

Yr 1 – 2 Science         Cade Donegan           Mon - Tue

English and Maths Support    Bronwyn Banfield

Principal                     Karen Burgess

Deputy Principal         Grace Ngatia

Deputy Principal          Jodie Marshall Mon – Wed

Deputy Principal          Cade Donegan Tue - Fri

Covid-19 Preparation for 2022

As you may be aware, all school staff are required to be double dose vaccinated before Term 1, 2022 starts.  The State Government has issued Education Worker (Restrictions on Access) Directions (No. 3), which are published on wa.gov.au.  These Directions include vaccination requirements for visitors entering school sites.

Students are not required to be vaccinated.  

Parents/carers are not required to be vaccinated when:

• dropping off or picking up their child from school;
• volunteering at school on an ad hoc basis;
• attending an event such as an assembly or parent teacher interview; or
• entering the school after hours.

‘Ad hoc basis’ means attendance at no more than one education facility no more than once per week.

Parents/carers are required to provide vaccination evidence (single dose vaccinated from 1 January 2022 and double dose vaccinated from 31 January 2022) or exemption when:

• volunteering at the school more than once a week (this includes volunteering at the school canteen, uniform store or an in-class literacy or numeracy program);
• working in an unpaid capacity at the school more than once a week; or
• participating in an endorsed program at the school where parent attendance is required (such as KindiLink).

The following are acceptable forms of evidence of COVID-19 vaccination or exemption:

• written confirmation of the COVID-19 vaccination issued by the Department of Health;
• the COVID-19 digital certificate, which shows only your COVID-19 vaccinations. Services Australia has information on how to get your COVID-19 digital certificate;
• your immunisation history statement, which shows all vaccinations you’ve had. Services Australia has information on how to get your immunisation history statement;
• an International COVID-19 Vaccination Certificate issued by the Commonwealth Government. This shows the COVID-19 vaccination recorded on the Australian Immunisation Register;
• medical exemption issued by the Australian Immunisation Register; or
• temporary exemption granted by the WA Chief Health Officer.

We are committed to ensuring our school is a COVID-19 safe space. We have been provided with a clear direction of what we all need to do to keep students, colleagues and our community safe. If you have any queries, please contact the school office.

Thank you for your support. 

We have come to the end of another school year and hasn't the year gone so quickly!

Here's wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas, a Happy and Safe New Year. A Happy and safe holiday too.

Selamat Hari Natal dan Tahun Baru! Selamat Hari Libur juga.