FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear parents and caregivers,

Welcome back to Beaconsfield Primary School.

As we start a new school year and term, I would like to provide you with an update on what has happened since the end of Term 4, 2015 and what is happening at the moment.

Key Dates

ü  Monday, 15 February 9am – 9.30am ASSEMBLY Year 4 & Year 4/5

ü  Monday, 14 March 9am – 9.30am ASSEMBY IEC Senior Phase 1 & 2

ü  Monday, 4 April 9am onwards ANZAC ASSEMBLY Year 6 classes

ü  Public Holiday, Monday 7 March 2016 – Labour Day

ü  Easter 25 Friday 25 March – Tuesday 29 March 2016

Staff

We warmly welcome the following staff:

v  David Andersson – STEM (Wednesday), Physical Education (Thursday) and Year 6 (Friday)

v  Katie Andrew – Learning Support Coordinator (Wed,Thurs,Fri) & IEC Senior Phase 1 (Mon,Tues)

v  Petta Baker – Pre-primary

v  Susie Brotherton – Front Office

v  Michelle Ferguson - IEC Senior Phase 1 (Wed, Thurs, Fri)

v  Brett Morellini – STEM & Science (Friday)

v  Dina Nassar – IEC Education Assistant

v  Bojana Petrovich – IEC Junior Phase 1

We farewell the following staff:

v  Emma Hunter (Pre-primary 2015)– Applecross PS (Kindergarten)

v  Rebecca Mahoney (Year 5 2015) – White Gum Valley PS (Year 4/5)

v  Lisa Gannon (Deputy Principal 2015) – Principal, Baler PS (South Hedland)

v  Megan Ewing (Specialist IEC 2015) – Leave until Semester 2, 2016

v  Yolande Farra (Jnr IEC, 2015) – SSEND Hearing

v  Christiana Bain (LOTE, 2015) – IONA Junior School

v  Sorelle Miller (Junior Science, 2015) – Leave until Term 1, 2017

v  Mercedes Ascensio (Snr IEC, 2015) – Leave until Term 2, 2017

v  Mervat Sidaros (leave), Gillian Grant (new opportunity), Ann Lawrie (leave)

School Focus

This year, staff will be focusing on both academic and non-academic areas:

§  The four school values of Honesty, Doing Your Best, Valuing Others and Respect will continue to be explicitly taught and embedded into all we do.

§  Classrooms will deliver a differentiated curriculum, which caters for the needs of all students. There will be more Group Education Plans, so parents should see different groups of children doing different things.

§  Science, Maths, Engineering and Mathematics [STEM] has been built into the learning program for every child Year 1 to Year 6. STEM is not a learning area but is focused on providing every child with the opportunity to be innovative and creative whilst developing their process skills.

§  ICT will be used as part of classroom teaching and learning.

To support these focus areas the school will be:

§  Collecting whole school data (the same across all classes) for English, Maths, Attendance and Student Well-Being.

§  Continue to use Soundwaves [will be reviewed in term 4, 2016]

§  Literacy Support – two days per week

§  Numeracy support – one morning per week

§  Learning Support – a coordinator has been appointed three days per week to support staff and parents. A key role during term 1 will be reviewing current processes for all students at risk.

Classrooms

Classrooms open at 8.40am with class commencing at 8.50am.

If your child arrives:

·  after 8.50am please go to the front office so we can issue a late notice. This ensures student attendance is recorded accurately.

·  at school before 8.30am [without parent supervision], please ask your child to sit in the administration block. This allows us to provide supervision and ultimately ensure they are safe.

·  If you are visiting the school after 9am and before 2.45pm please ensure you sign in at the office. This enables us to be aware of who is on the school grounds. This is particularly important should we have an emergency.

Given there is only 10 minutes for students to get ready for their school day, if you wish to discuss your child’s progress - could you please organise via the front office or by email an appointment with your child’s teacher. Teachers are happy to receive emails as a way of staying up-to-date with your child’s needs. Taking the time to talk at a quiet time ensures everyone is heard. Once classes have commenced at 8.50am, parents are advised if they need access to the classroom to go via the office. Please be considerate of all children and refrain from interrupting their learning program.

If you have spoken with your child’s teacher and would like further follow-up, please make an appointment to see the Principal.

Nature-based play areas

Beaconsfield has been working towards creating nature-based play areas for several years. The school has started the five year process of upgrading areas:

AREA / what / Approx.cost / Funding source / when
K/PP area, junior and senior learning areas / Artificial turf, outdoor furniture / $24,000 / School / Term 3, 2015 holidays
Year 1 and 2 playground / Earth works, limestone wall, soft fall, lawn, reticulation, nature play equipment / $65,000 / School
P&C Association / School holidays 2015/2016
Year 2 and 3 playground / Nature play equipment / Term 1, 2016 (by March)
Bottom Oval / Soccer goal / $2,000 / Donation / Term 1, 2016

Other facilities:

·  I have been informed the school will have fully automated reticulation by the end of June 2016.

·  The car park was re-surfaced during the school holidays (not the school’s decision).

·  The administration block has been relocated to room 14.

·  Signage on all buildings.

·  Trees were removed during the holidays after an official report into the well-being of all trees on this site (not the school’s decision).

·  Electricity Upgrade – will be finalised by the end of February 2016

·  The small building adjacent to the staff carpark is now a Student Services Support Building

It is fantastic to see all the children using the facilities after school has finished. Please ensure you are directly supervising your child/ren before and after school as staff are not available to provide supervision. Unsupervised children will be asked to sit in the administration block until they are collected.

Classes in 2016

The following are maximum class sizes:

·  Kindergarten – max 20 students per class / ·  Pre-primary – max 27 students per class
·  Year 1 -3 – max 24 students per class / ·  Year 4 – 6 – max 32 students per class
·  Split classes have one less student than straight classes. / ·  IEC classes – max 12 to 16 students
Year / Number / Teacher / Year / Number / Teacher
K / 19 / Ms Billingham / 3 / 23 / Ms Yeomans
K / 15 / Ms Williamson / 4 / 30 / Ms Kay
PP / 24 / Ms Gray/ Ms Schipp (Wed) / Mid IEC / 9 / Ms Kelton
PP / 24 / Ms Baker/ Ms Manford (Wed) / Mid IEC / 11 / Ms Casotti
1 / 22 / Ms Jacobs / 4/5 / 28 / Ms Declyn
1 / 21 / Ms Dadson/Mr Morellini (Fri am) / 5 / 30 / Ms Lechte
2 / 24 / Ms McCann / 6 / 31 / Ms Dopheide/Mr Andersson (Fri)
2 / 23 / Mr Hart / 6 / 31 / Mr Jakob
Jnr IEC / 16 / Ms Petrovich/Ms Manford (Tues) / Snr IEC / 12 / Ms Andrew/Ms Ferguson(Thurs&Fri)
Jnr IEC / 11 / Ms Hopkins/Ms MacPhee / Snr IEC / 16 / Ms Franklin
3 / 23 / Ms Freel / Rottnest / 16 / Ms Premius

The school also offers:

ü  Music - Ms Clarke (Tuesday to Friday)

ü  Art - Ms Wood (Tuesday to Friday)

ü  Physical Education - Ms Armstrong (Tuesday to Thursday) & Mr Andersson (Thursday)

ü  Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics [STEM]- Ms Singh (Tues, Wed & Thurs), Mr Andersson (Wed) &

Mr Morellini (Fri).

ü  Literacy Support for Year 3 students [Term 1] – Ms Nunn (Tuesdays & Wednesdays)

ü  Numeracy Extension for Year 1 & Pre-primary [Term 1] – Ms Dadson (Friday mornings)

ü  Learning Support Coordinator – Katie Andrew (Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays)

Communication

Parents and the Community will be kept updated as follows:

ü  Fortnightly email ‘The Beacy Bulletin’

ü  Fortnightly update on the school website & Skool App (smart phones)

ü  Hard copies on the noticeboard in the administration block

ü  Letter to Parents/Caregivers from the Principal – a minimum of three per term

ü  Parent survey in Term 1, 2016

School Board

The Board thanks Gillian Grant for all her efforts as the Executive Officer. The new Executive Officer will be Susannah Brotherton.

The next meeting is on Tuesday, 9 February 2016. If you have any ideas or feedback, please contact: Alison Luobikis Jason Beeley, Anne-Sophie Deleflie, Sharon Morris or Richard Bostwick.

Parents – I work with an open door policy, so please feel free to call me or drop in to see me at any time if you have any concerns or queries or ideas. If you would like an appointment, please call the school office on 9430 7055.

Vicki Jack

PRINCIPAL

4 February 2016

TERM 1, 2016

WEEK / MONDAY / TUESDAY / WEDNESDAY / THURSDAY / FRIDAY
1 / 1 FEBRUARY / 2 FEBRUARY / 3 FEBRUARY
STAFF MEETING 3.15 – 4.15PM / 4 FEBRUARY / 5 FEBRUARY
2 / 8 FEBRUARY / 9 FEBRUARY
BOARD MEETING
6.30-8.30PM / 10 FEBRUARY / 11 FEBRUARY / 12 FEBRUARY
3 / 15 FEBRUARY
ASSEMBLY
9 – 9.30AM
YEAR 4/5 & YEAR 5 / 16 FEBRUARY / 17 FEBRUARY
STAFF MEETING 3.15 – 4.15PM / 18 FEBRUARY / 19 FEBRUARY
4 / 22 FEBRUARY / 23 FEBRUARY
BOARD MEETING
6.30-8.30PM / 24 FEBRUARY / 25 FEBRUARY / 26 FEBRUARY
5
SWIMMING
[ROTTNEST ONLY] / 29 FEBRUARY
P&C ASSOCIATION
MEETING 7.30PM / 1 MARCH / 2 MARCH
YR 6 LEADERSHIP DAY (BICKLEY)
STAFF MEETING 3.15 – 4.15PM / 3 MARCH / 4 MARCH
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SWIMMING
[ROTTNEST ONLY] / 7 MARCH
LABOUR DAY
PUBLIC HOLIDAY / 8 MARCH / 9 MARCH / 10 MARCH / 11 MARCH
7 / 14 MARCH
ASSEMBLY
9 – 9.30AM
SENIOR PHASE 1&2 / 15 MARCH / 16 MARCH
STAFF MEETING 3.15 – 4.15PM / 17 MARCH / 18 MARCH
8 / 21 MARCH
SCHOOL PHOTOS
ROTTNEST CAMPUS / 22 MARCH
BOARD MEETING
6.30-8.30PM / 23 MARCH / 24 MARCH / 25 MARCH
GOOD FRIDAY
PUBLIC HOLIDAY
9 / 28 MARCH
EASTER MONDAY
PUBLIC HOLIDAY / 29 MARCH
EASTER TUESDAY
PUBLIC HOLIDAY / 30 MARCH
STAFF MEETING 3.15 – 4.15PM / 31 MARCH / 1 APRIL
10 / 4 APRIL
SPECIAL ASSEMBLY
ANZAC DAY
9am- YEAR
P&C ASSOCIATION
MEETING 7.30PM / 5 APRIL
YR 6 LEADERSHIP DAY (Rottnest)
/ 6 APRIL
YR 6 LEADERSHIP DAY (Rottnest) / 7 APRIL / 8 APRIL
11 / 11 APRIL
SCHOOL HOLIDAYS / 12 APRIL / 13 APRIL / 14 APRIL / 15 APRIL
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