6 March 2026
Welcome to week 5 - 2026!
"Camp is where friendships grow, adventures begin, and memories last a lifetime!"
IN THIS EDITION:
- From the Principal
- SHELL
- Camp
- P&C News
- Give Write
- COOL Minds
- Meet the teacher: Brandon Porcaro
- Upcoming events and promotions
KEY DATES
🏊 Interm Swimming: 9th till 20th March
📅 Good Friday Public Holiday: 2 April
🎖️ ANZAC Day Assembly: 24 April
📅 ANZAC Day Public Holiday: 27 April
NOTES
🍂 Autumn / April holidays:
🗓 Friday 3 April – Sunday 19 April 2026 (between Term 1 & Term 2)
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
SHELL: Sit up straight, Hands together, Eyes on the speaker, Listening, Ready to learn
Please take the time to watch this short video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gyYhKHOxFvk&t=85s
Coolbinia Primary School has deliberately strengthened the conditions for learning by explicitly teaching students how to learn, not just what to learn. Through its whole school approach, SHELL, Sit up straight, Hands together, Eyes on the speaker, Listening, Ready to learn, the school consistently builds students’ habits of attention. By embedding these routines in every classroom, staff create calm, focused and predictable learning environments where students can concentrate, participate and succeed.
This approach is grounded in research about posture, attention and confidence. Studies show that sitting upright increases thought confidence. Students are more likely to believe their own positive thoughts, while slumping can increase self doubt. Research into psychological empowerment demonstrates that upright or expansive postures increase feelings of confidence and reduce fear, while also supporting improved stress regulation. Posture also influences how individuals are perceived. Students who sit upright are more likely to be seen as engaged, capable and confident. Importantly, upright posture is linked to higher alertness, improved focus and greater persistence in problem solving, while slumped posture is associated with reduced engagement and quicker feelings of helplessness. In this way, SHELL supports both wellbeing and academic performance.
At Coolbinia Primary, SHELL is not about control. It is about explicitly teaching attention as a foundational learning skill. The approach is implemented with warmth, consistency and care. We recognise that students learn and regulate differently, and we make thoughtful adjustments for neurodiverse learners. This may include flexible seating options, movement breaks, visual prompts, personalised regulation strategies, or adapted expectations that support individual sensory and attention needs. Our goal is equity, ensuring every child can access learning in a way that supports their success while still building the core habits of attention that help them flourish.
The 2025 Student Opinion Survey data demonstrate the positive impact of this consistent focus on learning conditions. Students report that teachers put a lot of energy into teaching at 4.05, are well prepared at 4.08, and genuinely want to help them learn at 4.33. Students feel safe in their classrooms at 3.97, feel they belong at 4.01, and feel good about being a student at the school at 4.15. High levels of motivation are evident, with students reporting that they try hard at school at 4.43, value their education at 4.56, and believe doing well at school is important at 4.44. These results reflect a strong and supportive learning culture.
Parents play an important role in reinforcing habits of attention at home. Simple actions can make a meaningful difference:
• Encourage your child to sit upright during homework or reading time.
• Minimise distractions by creating a quiet, organised study space.
• Practise active listening at home by modelling eye contact and attentive body language during conversations.
• Establish predictable routines for homework and bedtime to support regulation and focus.
• Praise effort, persistence and ready to learn behaviours, not just academic results.
Together, school and home can strengthen the skills that underpin lifelong learning. Parents can be confident that at Coolbinia Primary their children are developing not only strong academic knowledge and skills, but also the attention, confidence and self-belief needed for future success.
Camp Highlights: Courage, Character and a Little Bit of Grit
Year 6 set off on their camp adventure on Wednesday 4th, departing by bus from school loaded up with bags, a few nervous butterflies and an enormous amount of enthusiasm. The excitement was palpable as they waved goodbye, a mix of nerves and anticipation, ready to embrace every challenge and opportunity that lay ahead.
Throughout Term 1, our focus has been on three key character traits: taking personal responsibility, bringing your best self to every situation, and understanding that decisions have consequences, even when no one is watching or when everyone is watching and you are halfway up a climbing wall. These qualities take practice, perseverance and thoughtful decision making. Our students absolutely rose to the occasion.
From the moment we arrived at camp, their energy, gratitude and willingness to dive headfirst into every activity, sometimes quite literally, stood out. Instructors repeatedly commented on how impressively our students worked as a team, embraced challenges with optimism and demonstrated real grit when things got tough.
It was an absolute joy to watch them learn, laugh and lean into new experiences. There were so many memorable moments, moments of courage, resilience, encouragement and plenty of fun. Every student contributed something unique to the camp community and we are certain they have returned home with stories to tell, and perhaps a few very muddy socks, that will stay with them for years to come.
A huge thank you to our families for preparing students so well. They arrived ready to participate fully and make the most of every opportunity.
Special acknowledgement goes to Mr. Joyce, Mr. Degebrodt and Ms Moon, who undertook an extraordinary amount of planning, organisation and leadership both before and during the camp. They were wonderfully supported by Mr. Porcaro, Mr Ian Wilson, Ms Janice Diaz Leao, Donna McFetridge and Ms Leah Hancock, whose dedication and care ensured the entire experience ran so smoothly.
What a fantastic start to the year for Year 6. Courage, character, camaraderie and just a little bit of grit.
P&C NEWS
A friendly reminder to please pay your P&C levy of $75 for the year. This contribution helps the P&C support the school through activities and materials such as Year 6 yearbooks, house-themed gazebos for the sports carnival and outdoor events, funding for the nature play area, and new equipment for the ELC area.
Payments can be made here: https://coolbiniaps.wa.edu.au/payments-contributions
The P&C will also be reaching out to the community soon to seek your views on funding priorities for this year.
Thank you to everyone who attended Wednesday’s meeting. Going forward, P&C meetings will be held on the Wednesday of Week 4 each term at 6:30 pm in the staff room.
This year, meeting minutes will be uploaded to the P&C webpage, and a short summary will also be shared in the General Announcements WhatsApp group.
GIVE WRITE
A huge thank you to everyone who donated to Give Write!
The bin was overflowing with so many wonderful items including water bottles, bags, folders, notepads, paint diaries and lots of other stationery. It was incredibly generous. It probably opened up some space in your cupboards and I suspect some of you even bought items especially to donate!
Want to volunteer?
It is a positive energy charity and there are lots of ways to get involved. You can help collect stationery donations, volunteer your time, or organise a one-off team activity. They regularly host groups of parents, children or company teams who come in and help sort and pack stationery, and it may also make a fantastic Year 6 project. info@givewrite.org.au or visit www.givewrite.org.au.
Thank you again for helping make a difference for the children who need it most.
Introducing COOL Minds - Coolbinia Neurodiversity Parent Network
We’re excited to introduce COOL MINDS, a parent-led network designed to foster connection, share resources, and provide practical, neuro-affirming strategies for families of neurodivergent children at Coolbinia Primary School.
Coolbinia Lunch & Learn: https://coolbiniaps.wa.edu.au/coolbinia-lunch-learn-series
COOL Minds Webpage: https://francinneorourke.com/cool-minds/
Join the Cool Minds- What’s App Group for Coolbinia Parents of Neurodivergent Children: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GMe0K1nn3jtDtsbQzZssG2?mode=gi_t
We’d love your input!
👉 Please complete the short questionnaire to register your interest and suggest topics:
Parent Questionnaire: What topics would you like covered? Would you like to see https://forms.gle/95XLjjza7ocAfuDU8
Meet The Teacher
Brandon Porcaro – Physical Education and HaSS
Brandon Porcaro is the Physical Education Specialist at Coolbinia Primary School, teaching Kindergarten to Year 6. In 2026, he will also teach HaSS to Pre-Primary and Year 1 students. With over 16 years of tennis coaching experience at Mount Lawley Tennis Club, Brandon brings strong sporting expertise to the school.
His focus includes:
Skill Development: Building confidence through core movement skills and sports techniques.
Positive Sporting Culture: Promoting teamwork, resilience, and respectful communication.
School Sport & Community: Supporting carnivals, coordinating Senior Sport, and leading Morning Fitness sessions.
Brandon is happy to discuss student learning with families and can be contacted at brandon.porcaro2@education.wa.edu.au.
Upcoming events and promotions
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