From the Principal...

NAPLAN has come and gone with students approaching these assessments positively and staff ensuring arrangements facilitated smooth running of the tests, my thanks to all for their efforts. NAPLAN has its supports and detractors, but at the end of the day it is another set of data that provides a measure of where we are at and where we are going.  When we receive the data we ensure that feeds into our academic planning. It is useful for parents to know that we gather a lot of other data and that one of the focuses of the new Strategic Plan will be on improving how we use data to inform our teaching.

Over the past weekend, eleven students from Year 10 and Year 12 slept out under the stars in chilly conditions to show their support for the homeless. The whole school supported their efforts and this saw over $900 contributed to the homeless charity Manna Inc. We are very proud of their efforts.

The events of this week emphasised the importance of community. We have had a great many messages of support pour in for which we are very grateful. The educating of our children is something that we all have a stake in. It is truly a team effort and it has been a pleasure to witness the strengthening of these partnerships in recent times. We will continue to develop strong channels for communication and interaction to ensure we are all working in the same direction to offer the best we possibly can for our students.

The College has been reviewing the policies surrounding the use of devices and also specifically mobile phones. The parameters around the use of such devices are set to be tightened to ensure no disruption to students learning and to ensure we have the safest practices in place. When these changes are rolled out, there will be clear communication to parents and students.

Finally I wished to share a message about the power of action. As we move to an election, we look to parties and leaders to influence our country and our world. We place great faith and expectations on others to impact our lives. We are often disillusioned by what occurs in politics and society or we feel helpless to influence it. The truth is that so many issues in life seem so large that we run the risk of being trapped by inertia. In many instances we see things going on around us that appear so complex and unwieldy that we do nothing. There is a wonderful old saying, “How do you eat an elephant? Answer: One bite at a time.”

Each one of us has influence and capacity and there are many things that we can impact on if we simply commit to doing something. We cant solve homelessness ourselves but we can help feed a person. We cant stop wars but we can respond to conflict around us with peace and grace. Let us never be overwhelmed by the enormity of the task and ensure that we, with the gifts God bestows upon us, do what we can no matter how insignificant it may seem. If a whole generation tries to do a tiny bit, a great deal will be achieved.

“Do your little bit of good where you are; its those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world. “ - Desmond Tutu

​Justin Krause
Principal

Primary School News

From the Head of Primary...

Some time ago I indicated that we would be facilitating tours of our Secondary School for those of you who are not familiar with our excellent facilities and learning programs. Now that Mr Jordan Smith has taken up his position as Head of Secondary School we are eager begin this process.

The first tour date will be Tuesday 14 June, from 9:00am till 10:00am. Mr Smith and I we will be taking a group of up to fifteen people through the College. To reserve your place please email ellenbrookjnr@scea.wa.edu.au with the subject line of ‘School Tours’. Confirmation will be sent to you via email. If this tour reaches capacity we will provide subsequent tour dates. These will be advertised in the College newsletter.

We look forward to seeing you there.

Stuart Harris
Head of Primary School

Mother's Day at Ellenbrook

Many Australians celebrate Mother’s Day by showing their appreciation for the achievements and efforts of mothers and mother figures. It is annually observed in Australia on the second Sunday of May. It is a time when children can honour their mums or mother figures. In the lead up to this special day the Primary school was abuzz with excited children making presents and cards as well as preparing to host special Mother’s Day activities with their mum’s in the school.

Several classes hosted Mother’s Day morning teas and the students enjoyed spending time pampering their mum’s with special treats and presents. Thank you to everyone who took the time to come and enjoy these events and the teachers and students for all their hard work. It was evident the students really enjoyed spending this quality time with you.

Pam Tyrrell
Curriculum and ICT Coordinator | Primary

Mother's Day Poems | Year 4

Mum by Serayah
Helpful, huggable, a lover of art, drawing and anything fun.
She wonders if life will get better with me!
She knows how to fix my problems, also make soap.
She’s very good at Art.
She dreams of a Landrover, a big house and stables.
Someone like you, Mum, is very special.
I love you!

Mum by Eliana
Lovely, inspiring, nice
Lover of shoe shopping, me, chocolate and baking cookies
Who wonders if life can get better if I’d done my homework!
Who knows everything!
Who fears nothing!
Who is able to stand tall.
Who dreams of going overseas
I love you, Mum!

Mum by Erika
Dedicated
Lover of sleeping in and me
Who knows how to run a business
Who is able to cook and kill any bug
Who fears nothing
That’s my Mum!

Mum by Saxon
Kind, creative, caring, loving, good cook, amazing
Lover of family, cousins and her mum and dad
Who wonders if she could get her dreams
Who knows everything
Who fears spiders and cockroaches
Who is able to work well
Who dreams of getting a nice house in a nice world
She is my Mum!

Mum by Joey
Dedicated, kind, funny
Lover of me and teaching cooking
Who knows about art, craft and teaching
Who fears crickets
Who is able to keep me healthy
Who dreams of being a full-time teacher
I love my Mum!

Mum by Connor
You are loving, helpful, awesome, smart and funny
Mum you love food, children and cooking
Mum, I love your cooking, you’re loving and great.
I love you so much, Mum!

New Zealand Salvation Army Band Visit

Earlier this term the Year 4 students had the privilege of watching the Salvation Army New Zealand, Fiji and Tonga Youth Band perform a set of classical and contemporary musical works.

The students were able to engage with the performance through singing and playing percussion instruments, including using steel bins as drums.

In Term 4 this year these students will have the opportunity to be involved in the extension band program, which tests students music aptitude and offers the opportunity to learn an instrument from the woodwind or brass family. Students learning these instruments will then join the Junior Concert Band and be involved in regular rehearsals and performance opportunities within and outside the school community. Further details about how to apply for the Band Program will be sent home to parents at the end of Term 3.

Pre-Primary Year 3 and 6 Students | Dental Therapy Screening

The Dental Therapy Staff will be visiting the College for Dental Screening in the upcoming weeks.

Dental Screening is a growth and development check for all enrolled students in Pre- Primary, Year 3 and Year 6. This is not a thorough check-up, so parents will not need to be present. If a follow-up appointment is required parents will be contacted. Parents of Pre-Primary children will receive appointments for initial check-ups in the upcoming months. Please ensure all outstanding enrolment forms are returned promptly as only enrolled students will be seen. For any further information please contact the Dental Therapy Centre on (08) 9296 7388.

Secondary School News

From the Head of Secondary...

I would first like to acknowledge how polite our students are at the College, each morning I walk around the College greeting students before they start classes. Our students are generally very cheerful, polite and eager to converse with me and also one another, which is a credit to the community we have at ECC. I would also like to acknowledge our Year 7 and 9 students for the way they conducted themselves during our recent NAPLAN testing period. Students were well prepared and focused during each of the sessions providing themselves with the best possible opportunity to perform well.

Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

Being brave and making the most of your opportunities is one way to enhance your schooling experience. I have been impressed by the vast range of extra curricular opportunities available to students at the College. In my experience the lessons learnt from being involved in these types of activities are not something you generally find in standard curriculum documents, they are life skills such as resilience, cooperation, communication, teamwork, confidence and personal excellence. These skills should not only be applied in our daily lives but also applied to our general academic studies at school. If something doesn’t work the first time, have another go, if you need to find something out, communicate with someone who may know, if you want to enrich your learning, work with others, if you're not sure, be confident and if you want to be the best you can be, push yourself to achieve personal excellence. God has given each individual a set of gifts, which they should share with the world. I would like to finish this article with a question, what gifts has God given you and are you brave enough to use them?

Jordan Smith
Head of Secondary School

School Clean Up Day

Last Tuesday, the Year 7 River Rangers participated in a School Clean Up Day, (similar to Clean Up Australia Day but for schools). Cadets identified areas of the school that needed attention, split up into groups and got to work.

We were pleasantly surprised by the lack of litter around many areas. Thank you to all students who ‘Do the Right Thing – and put their rubbish in the bin’.

Sadly, there were some not so tidy spots. The River Rangers identified the worst areas being places where the wind had carried the litter and it had been 'trapped'. These were places such as the fences and garden beds.

Most of the rubbish was plastic wrap and plastic packaging that is not biodegradable. That means it doesn’t breakdown easily, so it stays in the environment. We think that it is pretty bad that people couldn’t be bothered to walk a few extra steps to put their rubbish in the bin.

As well as making our school look untidy, any rubbish we leave around can be blown into the drains and washed into the rivers and oceans. So, we are asking everyone to do their part, look after the environment and help us to keep our school and community looking good.

Years 10, 11 and 12 | University Information Sessions

University is just one pathway that students can take following their Secondary Schooling. We encourage parents and students to explore the many opportunities available by visiting the different university websites and/or Facebook pages. Many of the Universities have Open Days or information sessions over the next few months and these may assist your child in finding their pathway following Secondary School. 

Murdoch University Information Sessions

Click on the links below to download information on upcoming information sessions at Murdoch University.

• A Morning of Science
• Engineering IT Careers Evening
• Law Business Politics Careers Evening

Upcoming Events

Events

Significant events that occur throughout the year at the College can be found on the events page on our website.

Our Events page has had an update! Check out the new Term Dates Page with 2017 dates now listed!

Calendar

The College calendar is updated regularly with new events.  You are encouraged to use this resource to keep yourself up-to-date with school functions, excursions, incursions, after school programs and anything else that your child may be involved in.
 

Student Services

Absent or Late?
If your child is unwell or arriving late, please contact us though our:

• voicemail service on (08) 9297 9292; or
• the absentee email, eccabsentees@scea.wa.edu.au; or
• our new text service number, 0416 905 250. 

If your child is being picked up for appointments during school hours. To avoid delays we ask that you notify us in advance by email or a phone call.

Student Services Team
Mrs Lorraine Wheeler, Mrs Suzel Nolte and Mrs Joanna de Grauw (Student Services team) can be contacted on:

• Email: ellenbrookss@scea.wa.edu.au 
• Phone: 08 9297 9230

Hours 
Pre-Kindergarten
8:35am to 2:40pm
Tuesdays and Thursdays

Kindergarten
8:35am to 2:50pm
Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays

Pre-Primary
8:35am to 3:00pm

Years 1 to 6
8:40am to 3:05pm

Years 7 to 12
8:40am to 3:15pm

Administration
8:00am to 4:00pm
8:00am to 3:30pm Wednesdays

Community

City of Swan Feedback | Public Open Space

The City of Swan would like to invite members of the public to be part of the next stage of planning for a new heart for Midland. This is your opportunity to actively provide input into the detailed design of the new precinct. The City is seeking the community's comments on what type of activities, events and attractions would bring them to the space, the stories, history and people they would like to see celebrated in the space and other input on the design of this precinct.

An online feedback sheet is now available for you to provide your thoughts and ideas regarding the Midland Oval Redevelopment. The feedback sheets will be available online at http://tinyurl.com/z3vbw6o until Friday, May 27, 2016. All enquiries should be directed to heartofmidland@swan.wa.gov.au or via telephone on 9267 9267.