This week, I looked back at Term 1 and couldn’t help but be amazed at the variety of learning opportunities on offer at our school.  Extra curricula activities included; before school swimming squad, chess, Year 4-6 choir, ensemble, our environmentally aware Blackies Maintenance Group and our socially aware Social Justice Group.

Excursions and incursions provided hands on, interactive opportunities and included Teddy Bear’s picnic, Music incursion, Museum visits, PIAF Writer’s Festival, Scitech, Year 6 Nanga Bush camp and special events such as Harmony Day. What makes these experiences even more special, is the manner in which our staff ensure they are integrates to enrich learning programs.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a safe and restful holiday break. Students resume on Monday 24 April and our ANZAC service will be held in the courtyard at 2.00pm that day. Tuesday 25 April is the ANZAC day public holiday.

Parents and school community members are invited to our ANZAC Service which will be held at the school on Monday 24 April at 2.00pm in the central courtyard.
Students are asked to bring flowers to school on the Monday morning to be use in the wreaths. Members of organisations such as Scouts and Guides are requested to wear their uniform and  be involved in the wreath laying part of the ceremony.

At last week’s meeting Allison Swan gave a budget presentation, the Board endorsed the Budget, endorsed the Annual Report and considered the targets and milestones in the new draft Business Plan.

The Annual Report articulates and demonstrates our commitment to excellence and our relentless pursuit of achieving Our Best.

It has been endorsed by our School Board and aligns with our Business Plan.

To read the report please click HERE.

To read verbatim our Year 6 students’ opinions on What's working well and Even better if in our school click HERE.

This year the school received 24 submissions with requests for $249,138 worth of funding through the P&C. We were able to allocate full funding to a number of projects as well as partially funding others. Successful applications met the 2017 School Priorities and the 2017 – 2019 Draft Business Plan Focus Areas. The following table outlines the successful submissions and amounts: 

Music Instruments (xylophones/metallophones & electronic drum kit) - $4,390

Percussion sets, Pre-Primary - $600

Creating new Junior Primary play area between Art Room, Library and M Block (shade sails, artificial turf, 4 square play courts, sand pit, seating - $25,000

Pool area upgrade (decking, furniture, shade options) - $20,000

Sporting equipment for each classroom to be utilised at recess and lunch - $6,000

Literacy – Reading and Spelling resources (Letters & Sounds Yr 1&2, Oxford sets Guided Reading Yr 1&2, Middle Primary Pearson English and Upper Primary High Interest readers) - $5,000

ICT & Technologies
Replacing interactive whiteboards - $11,000
STEM resources - $4,000
Makerspace - $8,000

Walkable World Map - $2,500

Raised vegetable garden beds (2 colourbond beds, compost & straw) – parent committee to set up and maintain - $2,000

Universal Access Equipment - $2,000

Swimming caps (30 per faction & team caps) - $750

Shade sails Kindy - $12,000

Educated By Nature
PD - $671
K-6 incursion (50% funded) - $5,830

Total amount allocated  $109,741

The $110,000 raised by the P&C has enabled a number of wide ranging projects to benefit our children and the teaching & learning program. Sincere thanks is extended to everyone who has been involved in raising money for our school.

Fun Languages is running a French club for Pre-Primary students on Wednesday afternoons in the school library and due ti its success we are now TAKING EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST for a second club, appropriate for all primary students (6-10 yrs).

The Fun Languages method is entirely based on FUN ACTIVITIES : the children learn a FUN & EASY way… in a friendly, STRESS FREE atmosphere!

For more information click HERE.

Thank you to all parents who attended this week’s parent teacher meetings. The feedback I have received is that the meetings are highly valued by parents and teachers as a way of sharing the progress and achievement of your child. Parents who missed the opportunity to meet with the classroom teachers are encouraged to make contact with the class teacher early next term.

The Kindy playground upgrade (along Bagot Road) will commence on Monday 8 April and continue throughout the school holidays. The schools main car park and the Bagot Road entry gate will be locked  to slow public access through the school and the construction area. The school car park will be used as a work space and provide easy access to the Kindy grounds.

We would like to remind parent that students should not be on the school grounds out of school hours unless accompanied by an adult. This includes not only after school, but on the weekends and during the school holidays. The school grounds are being used more and more by a wide range of community members, and the school personnel  cannot be held responsible for the safety of the students outside school hours. During these school holidays there are some significant building works happening at the school, and for safety reasons we would like to minimise the use of the school grounds.

We encourage students and parents to vacate the  school halls fairly promptly at the end of the school day. This enables the teachers to plan and conduct meetings, and the cleaners to tidy up and commence vacuuming.

We are encouraging all parents to subscribe to our newsfeed.
For up to date information on school activities, events and news subscribe to our newsfeed by clicking HERE. You will then receive an email from Feedburner with a link to confirm your registration. Don't miss out on crucial information.

Next term we would like to offer the students a lunchtime LEGO Club.  We anticipate that the club will be popular, so any LEGO donations would be greatly appreciated. Donations can be placed in the tubs outside the lower and upper deputy offices or with class teachers.

Congratulations and thank you to Robin Pennington who created some foreign language programs and recently gave a presentation of them to Statewide Services and Schools Curriculum and Standards Authority. Teachers across the state will be able to access the material developed by Robin.

The Subiaco Primary School Choir has its first performance at our Anzac Assembly on Monday 24 April 2017 at 2.00pm. This is the first day of Term 2.
The choir members have worked hard to prepare for this event. They will be required to attend a rehearsal as usual on Monday morning (24 April) at 8.00am in the Music Room. Some students may wear their Scout/Guides uniform and will participate in the laying of the wreaths. All remaining students will wear their school uniform. As usual, all parents and community members are encouraged to attend this event.

Term 2 will be the last intake for the Chess Club this year.
The Chess Club will recommence in Term 2, after the holidays, on Friday 28 April in the library from 7.30am till 8.30am.

Please click HERE for the registration form. 

Subiaco Primary Turns 120 Years Old On Friday 12 May
Save the date!  We will be celebrating our 120th birthday with children dressing in colonial costume, taking part in traditional games and dancing to the Mucky Duck Bush Band from 2.00-3.10pm that day. All parents are welcome to come along and join in the dancing.

Assembly Timetable Term 2
Week 1, 24/4 - U7/8, Year 6 (ANZAC) Mr Shorter/Kettell (Courtyard)
Week 2, 4/5 -  L2, Year 2 Ms Williams
Week 4, 18/5 - L9, Year 1 Mrs Tyers/Gregson
Week 6, 1/6 - M4, Year 3 Mr Egan
Week 8 15/6 - U5, Year 5 Mrs Males
Week 10, 29/6 - L3 Year 1 Mrs Mitchinson/Maroni

For the complete 2017 Assembly Timetable please click HERE.

School Development Days In 2017
The following School Development days have been ratified by the School Board.
Term 2:     Friday 2 June (Leads into Western Australia Day long weekend).
Term 3:     Monday 17 July – Day 1 of Term 3
Term 4:     Monday 9 October – Day 1 of Term 4

Term Planner
Click HERE to view the term planner.

NAPLAN Dates
Year 3 & 5 students will sit NAPLAN assessments from Tuesday 9 May to Thursday 11 May. To read about preparing for NAPLAN click HERE.

Teddy Bears' Picnic
The Kindergarten children invited their teddy or a special soft toy into class to celebrate the end of our bear theme. We made scones in the morning, went on a walk and had a picnic in the afternoon. We enjoyed playing parachute games with our teddies, as well as completing a 'Going on a Bear Hunt' sensory obstacle course. A lot of the children said their favourite part was walking through the ooey gooey mud! Click HERE for photos.

Easter Hat Parade
Families were invited into Kindergarten this week to watch the Kindy children develop their confidence walking in an 'Easter Hat Parade'. The children created their own hats in class and performed a song and dance for parents. We all shared a morning tea in the Kindy playground and reflected on a wonderful start to Kindergarten for 2017. Thank you to Paul Thompson for his wonderful photography and for sharing the beautiful photos with us which you can view HERE.
We wish all children and families a relaxing school holidays.

Music and STEM learning
It’s been a very busy start to the year in the Music Room with students developing many important skills. We have also had many opportunities to make explicit connections with other curriculum areas, which has provided enriching experiences for the students.

This was highlighted during Year 5 and 6 classes by incorporating STEM activities into their learning. Students created virtual instruments using everyday objects and plenty of aluminium foil! In small groups they then used the Makey Makey invention kit to turn everyday objects into musical touchpads and combine them with internet sounds/notes. Each group was required to rehearse and play a well-known nursery rhyme on their virtual instrument and perform it to the class! This project will continue next term.

Later in the year students will use CODING programmes to create their own instrument sounds. Some Year 1 classes also had fun playing the BANANA BONGOS in class which proves that we can in fact use any objects as musical instruments in the 21st Century! 

L1 STEM Project
Students in L1 have been developing STEM projects by coding the robotic BEE BOT and sequencing instructions. They have been developing estimation and problem solving skills. The students created obstacle pathways for the Bee Bot as well as navigating the robot around a map.  They have developed many skills and had lots of  fun!  Well done L1!

Click HERE to view a video and HERE for some photos.

RE Epipens
Please be advised that we have received the following information from the Health Department.
It has come to our attention that four batches of EpiPen 300 microgram adrenaline injection syringe auto-injector with an expiry date of April 2017 are being recalled from the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). EpiPens from recalled batches can be refunded or exchanged free of charge. See details from TGA https://www.tga.gov.au/alert/epipen-300-microgram-adrenaline-injection-syringe-auto-injector

Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease and Impetigo
Several cases of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (various Enteroviruses) and Impetigo (School Sores) have been reported across the school. These are highly contagious diseases which require a student to have the appropriate medical treatment and to be excluded from school. For more information click HERE. 

Lost Property
Lost property can be found in either the upper hall or infront of the staffroom.

Staff Car Park
Parent use of the staff car park is on the rise. For safety reasons we request that parents do not use the staff car park to drop off and collect students.

Updating School Records
If your address, telephone number or email address has changed, please contact the school office.

Eco May
During May, community groups, organisations, schools and councils all over WA are hosting eco-themed activities to enjoy nature, raise awareness, and activate community members to get involved.

Getting out into nature, having fun with friends, and learning about our environment are great ways to build a stronger community and promote a healthy planet. Eco May was first held by the Conservation Council of WA in 2015, and originally launched as Conservation Week in 2005. For more information visit http://www.ccwa.org.au/ecomay2017

Click HERE to check out the Community News for local news, information and events including school holiday activities.

Show mum just how much she means to you this Mother’s Day with a visit to our very special Mother’s Day Market on Saturday 6 May, complete with 20 arts & crafts stalls, candles, textiles, jewellery, ceramics chocolates…and lots more! Click HERE for the latest Farmers market newsletter.