7 August 2026
Welcome to week 3 - Term 3 - 2026!
"You're off to great places, today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!" Dr. Seuss
IN THIS EDITION:
• Building Confident, Resilient Children: Being the Pack Leader at Home
• House Athletics Carnival Postponed
• Science Week – Week 5
• Grok Academy Cyber Comp 2026 Results
• Food for thought
• Crochet Lunchtime Club with Donna
• Book Week: Beaufort St Book Fair Info
• Upcoming events & promotions
KEY DATES:
👵👴 Grandparents & Open Classrooms: Thursday, 13 August
🏃♀️🏃♂️ House Athletics Carnival: Postponed Wednesday 19 August
🎶🎶 One Big Voice, Year 3–6 Choir students: 21 August
🏅🏅 Jumps & Throws: 21 August
ASSEMBLY DATES TERM 3:
• 14 August- Year 3 Assembly
• 28 August- Year 2 Assembly
• 11 Sept- Year 1 Assembly
• 25 Sept- Leaders Assembly
NOTE:
Ten Pages a Day Challenge: Join our reading challenge starting Monday, Week 4. Read ten pages a day and share your reading journey with your child. I’ll be reading The World is Flat by Thomas L Friedman. What will you read?
Personal Hygiene Reminder: We continue to encourage students to wash their hands regularly before and after breaks, meals, and using shared equipment. This simple habit has led to a noticeable decrease in colds and flus across the school. If your child is unwell, please keep them home until symptoms have cleared. Absences can be reported via email coolbinia.ps@education.com.au or through the Compass app.
Building Confident, Resilient Children: Being the Pack Leader at Home
As parents and educators, we all want the same thing: children who are kind, resilient, confident and capable of making good decisions.
In his book Be the Pack Leader, Cesar Millan reminds us that effective leadership is not about being controlling or authoritarian. Rather, it is about providing children with what they need most: calm, confident guidance, clear expectations, consistency and unconditional care.
Children thrive when they know the adults in their lives are leading with purpose. When expectations are clear and boundaries are consistent, children feel safe. That sense of security allows them to explore, learn, take healthy risks and develop independence.
At Coolbinia Primary School, we believe that confidence grows through responsibility. While it is natural to want to protect our children from disappointment or discomfort, learning to overcome challenges is one of the greatest gifts we can give them. Every setback becomes an opportunity to develop perseverance, problem solving skills and resilience.
Being a "pack leader" means:
• Remaining calm, even when children are emotional.
• Setting clear and consistent expectations.
• Following through with fair and predictable consequences.
• Encouraging independence rather than doing everything for our children.
• Praising effort, persistence and character as much as achievement.
• Modelling the behaviour we hope to see.
Children are always watching. They learn far more from what we consistently do than from what we occasionally say. Respect, kindness, responsibility and self-control are first taught through the example we set every day.
As a school, we are committed to working in partnership with families to develop children who are not only academically successful but also emotionally strong, respectful of others and prepared for life's opportunities and challenges.
When home and school share common expectations, children experience consistency, confidence and belonging. Together, we can help every child become capable, compassionate and resilient, ready not just for school, but for life.
House Athletics Carnival Postponed
Due to the likelihood of wet weather, our House Athletics Carnival has been postponed and will now be held on Wednesday, 19 August (Week 5). All other arrangements, including the venue and carnival schedule, will remain the same.
Thank you to the parents who volunteered to assist. If you are available to help on the new date, we would greatly appreciate your support.
Existing Compass consent will automatically carry over to the new date. If your child is unable to participate on Wednesday, 19 August, please notify Brandon Porcaro at brandon.porcaro2@education.wa.edu.au as soon as possible.
Selected students will receive a separate Compass consent request for the House Jumps and Throws Carnival, which will be held on Friday of Week 5.
Thank you for your understanding and flexibility. We look forward to a fantastic carnival in Week 5!
Science Week, Week 5
Biological Science: Science Week and Fungi
Year Level: Kindy
Students learn that fungi grow and change.
Year Level: PP
Students learn that fungi can produce mushrooms.
Year Level: Year 1
Students learn that fungi help break things down.
Year Level: Year 2
Students learn that fungi spread through spores.
Year Level: Year 3
Students learn that fungi are not plants.
Year Level: Year 4
Students learn that fungi form hidden networks.
Year Level: Year 5
Students learn that fungi help make food through yeast.
Year Level: Year 6
Students learn that fungi can help solve future problems.
Two-Way Science: This term, our Two-Way Science engagement builds on consultation with Noongar knowledge holders Neville Collard and Alton Walley, and our concern with protecting our bushland from fungal dieback disease. This has led to the integrated focus for Science Week on fungus and the role it plays in the nutrient cycle in our environment.
In addition to in class projects culminating in Science Week, students will have the opportunity to walk through the bushland during Makuru and Djilba, observing fungi flowering and using their mycelium to process organic material back into soil.
As part of Science Week, students will join CSIRO’s Wild Watch, becoming citizen scientists and collecting biodiversity data. A fantastic way to connect with nature and support environmental research.
Grok Academy Cyber Comp 2026 Results
Congratulations to all our Year 5 and 6 students who participated in the Grok Academy June Cyber Comp at the end of last term.
The Cyber Comp is an online competition for students in Years 5 to 12 that challenges them to apply their cyber security knowledge. Through a series of interactive problems, students explored important topics such as protecting personal information, creating strong passwords and recognising online scams.
Learn more about the Grok Academy Cyber Comp: https://groklearning.com/cybercomp/
Special congratulations to Alex C, Ada G, Rhemi S and Thenuk V G from Year 5, along with Mary N, Ethan S, Joshua N and Reina T from Year 6, who achieved Distinction or High Distinction results. These students received certificates recognising their outstanding achievement.
Well done to everyone who took part and challenged themselves to strengthen their cyber security skills!
Food for Thought
At Coolbinia Primary, we aim to balance safety and growth in learning. Like surf lifesavers setting flags, we provide clear boundaries that protect, while allowing space for challenge, curiosity, and confidence. Thank you for supporting our students as they learn to navigate life's waves with courage and care.
Crochet Lunchtime Club with Donna
Students are invited to join our Crochet Lunchtime Club on Thursdays with Donna. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn new skills, be creative, and enjoy a relaxing lunchtime activity with friends.
Whether students are beginners or already enjoy crocheting, everyone is welcome to come along, have a go, and create something special.
Book Week: Beaufort St Book Fair Info
Book Fair Open Times
Wednesday 12th - 8am to 9am and 2:30 to 3:30pm
Thursday 13th - 8am until after parade and 2:30 to 3:30pm
Friday 14th - 8am to 9am
Book Week is a great time to encourage children to get into reading! Every purchase made from Beaufort St Books (at the Book Fair or in-store) contributes to a local independent business AND earns rewards for Coolbinia Primary to purchase books for the library. If you'd like to get ahead of the pack, you can order from the website below, including books by our visiting author, Julia Lawrinson.
https://beaufortstreetbooks.com.au/c/2026-kids-reading-guide
Looking forward to seeing everyone at Book Week! Thanks, Kendra
Thursday’s Highlight:
Julia Lawrinson Author Visit working with classes from 11.10 to 2.40pm
Upcoming events and promotions
Free Triple P Parenting Seminars
Parents and carers are invited to attend two free Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) seminars hosted at Dianella Heights Primary School. These practical sessions provide strategies to support children's confidence, behaviour and wellbeing. Families can attend one or both seminars—there is no set order.
📅 Wednesday 13 August, 7:00 pm
Raising Confident, Competent Children (Primary School Seminar) Seminar | Triple P
📅 Wednesday 3 September, 7:00 pm
Raising Responsible Teenagers (Recommended for parents of children aged 10+ and Years 5–6) Seminar-teen | Triple P
Please see the attached flyers for more information and registration details.
Curiosity Starts Here!
Every great discovery begins with a simple question.
Following the success of our popular Ask events, including Ask an Astronaut and Ask a Marine Biologist, we're thrilled to celebrate National Science Week with a very special online event, Ask Dr Karl.
Join renowned science communicator Dr Karl Kruszelnicki for a fun and fascinating live Q&A, where he'll answer children's wonderfully curious science questions. From space and animals to everyday mysteries, no question is too big or too small!
Event Details
Date: Wednesday 26 August
Time: 5.00 to 6.00pm AWST
Format: Free online live Q&A. Available live only.
Bring your curiosity and get ready to ask, explore and discover with one of Australia's favourite scientists.
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