Upcoming School Closure Days

PUBLIC HOLIDAY - Monday March 12th

PUPIL FREE DAY - Tuesday March 13th

Parents and caregivers are reminded that the school will be closed on Monday and Tuesday of week 7, March 12th and March 13th.

OSHC will be available on both days.

Bookings need to be made by Thursday 8th March by calling Rebecca Bergus on 83566018.

School Photos - March 21st

Just a quick reminder that our school photos will be taken on Wednesday 21st March 2018. We ask that children all wear our school uniform on this day.

If your child misses out due to absence on this day there will be a make up day arranged with MSP Photography.

If you would like a Family Photo, please collect order envelopes from the front office.

Please be aware that all photo orders and payments are handled by MSP Photography and not the front office. Please ensure you have the correct money for payment as change will not be available.

Please return photo order envelopes with the correct money inside to the class teacher on or before Tuesday 20th March 2018.

If you would like more information please contact the school.

Please find attached a schedule for the photography sessions.

Parent Teacher Interviews

Parents are reminded that Parent / Teacher interviews are scheduled to be held in weeks 8 - 10 of this term. This is a key component of our reporting process and a valuable opportunity for parents to meet with teachers and discuss their child’s progress. This partnership between school and home is crucial and we encourage ALL parents to participate in this important meeting. If for any reason you are unable to attend a meeting during the times which are available you are asked to contact your child’s teacher who will be keen to arrange an alternative time to meet.

Once again this year, West Beach Primary School is using an online parent interview booking system which will enable parents to book interview times and receive instant email confirmation of their booking. To book a parent/teacher interview simply follow the steps listed below:

visit https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au/code?z=HuK0r6
login using the code: ysqx6
follow the on screen instructions

This online booking portal is currently CLOSED, but will be opened next week (most likely Wednesday, March 14th). Parents will receive an alert through the Skoolbag App when the booking portal is opened for bookings.

If you do not have internet access or you would like assistance in making a booking please call the front office on 83567944, and will make an online booking on your behalf.

Parent and Community Engagement Portfolio 2018 Parent and Community Survey

The Parent and Community Engagement Portfolio of the Western Adelaide Shore Partnership (WASP) invite you to complete the 2018 Parent and Community Survey.

Why: This survey allows the portfolio to plan and implement student and parent workshops that are relevant to you. We need to know what information you need to be able to support your child’s learning journey and development.

Parents, guardians and caregivers of children at Kindergarten, Primary School and High School in the Western Adelaide Shores Partnership are invited to participate.

When: The survey closes at the end of Week 8, Term 1 – Friday 23rd March 2018

How: Follow the link below.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T3YNKM9

Harmony Day Celebrations - March 21st

Harmony Day is a celebration of our cultural diversity – a day of cultural respect for everyone who calls Australia home.

Harmony Day aims to engage people to participate in their community, respect cultural and religious diversity and foster sense of belonging for everyone.

This year we will be conduction a special Harmony Day assembly on Friday March 23rd in recognition of the day. After the assembly, classes will be holding special activities with a Harmony Day focus. Parents are invited to stay on after the assembly and join classes as the participate in the special activities.

Open Morning: March 28th

Prospective parents are invited to attend an Open Morning planned for Wednesday 28th March, 2018. Student Leaders will be available to guide groups of parents around the school and answer any questions that parents may have.

Two 30 minute tours will be conducted:

9:15am to 9:45am

10:00am to 10:30am

Parents wishing to attend or seeking further information are asked to call the front office on 83567944.

Election Day BBQ

A big 'thank-you' to the Fundraising Committee who have once again been busy preparing for the Election Day BBQ which is being held here at West Beach Primary School on election day, Saturday March 17th.

There will also be various other stalls open on the day selling other goodies. Please come along and support this school fundraiser.

Also, anybody who is able to help out with the BBQ on the day, please contact the front office on 83567944 to register your name.

BBQ Timeslots:

7.30-9.30am

9.30-11.30am

11.30am-1.30pm

1.30-3.30pm

3.30-5.30pm

Health Care Plan Updates

A treating health professional and parent or guardian should complete a Health Care Plan for a child who may require added care or supervision including children who are required to have any form of medical treatment or medication whist at school. Parents are asked to consult their medical practitioner and have a formal Health Care Plan developed. The Health Care Plan then needs to be shared with Ann Harrison (our senior first aid officer) and a copy of the plan stored here at school. The health care plan is to be updated when any modifications to the plan are made.

Any students requiring medication to be administered at school/camp etc also require a medical practitioner or pharmacist to complete the Medication Authority Form attached below.

Students are not permitted to store medication in their classroom or schoolbag. All medications must be kept at the front office.

Sun Safety

Parents are reminded that during the warmer weather of terms 1 and 4 children are required to wear a broad brimmed or legionnaire style hat at both recess and lunchtime and whenever involved in outside school activities. Can all parents please ensure that their child has at least one hat (labelled with their name) that remains at school. Parents are able to purchase hats from the front office:

WBPS branded Broad Brim Hat $12.50

WBPS branded Legionnaires Hat $ 8.50

Skoolbag App

As many parents are aware, much of the day-to-day communication between the school and parents is now done through the 'West Beach Primary School' app. This app allows the school to send information, alerts, reminders and documents directly to parent's (and student's) mobile phone. Parents, students and family members are asked to download the app, which is available free for both iPhone and Android, as soon as possible.

Assembly Time

School Assemblies have been scheduled for Friday mornings on 'even weeks' at 9:15am. It is hoped that continuing to have assemblies at this earlier time more parents will be able to 'stay on' after the morning drop-off and enjoy the opportunity to join in this celebration and share the children's presentations and awards.

Allergy Awareness

West Beach Primary School is a Nut Aware school. This means that nut products should not be sent to school for recess or lunch as this could cause an anaphylactic reaction in some of our students. ie Nutella, peanut butter and bars containing nuts as well as peanuts. Some students do have other allergies which are just as important, these are dealt with in individual classes. (ie eggs)

AGM/Acquaintance Night Feedback

Parents who attended the Acquaintance Night/AGM are also invited to complete a brief online survey so that we can continue to improve the evening. Please click on the link below. The survey should take no more than a minute to complete.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QPMLBR9

Please find attached below the Term Planner for Term 1. As you will see the calendar is already becoming busy.

Young children are born ready to learn, and they learn and grow every time you interact with them. You can make a difference in your child’s learning and even in how their brain develops. This is especially important in the first five years of their life, and it is through the everyday things that you do with your child that helps them learn.

The 'Great Start' website has plenty of ideas and activities that can help you make the most of everyday learning and events. We all know that families are very busy so the ideas are for activities that you are already doing, ideas that may be new and will only take a few minutes and others that will take longer. It also includes extra information for you if you want to learn more about the literacy and numeracy that your child will be developing and how this will link to learning in later life.

The website is well worth visiting...

http://www.greatstart.sa.edu.au

Helping Children Learn to Read

As students start school parents often ask, 'how can we help our children learn to read?'. Attached below is a wonderful document which parents are invited to read. This guide to helping children at home with reading and writing provides many practical tips and suggestions.

Simple things you can do to support your child:

Ask your child what they have been learning in class and link it to activities you do around the home

Put up times tables posters around the house and talk positively about science and mathematics with your child

Try to read with your child every day or read the same novel as your child so you can discuss the story together

Encourage your child to share their drawings and projects with you

Provide a comfortable space at home for your child to do homework and support

them to complete it on time

Some helpful resources:

The curriculum your child will be following this year:

http://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/

Ideas for helping your child with numeracy and literacy: https://www.literacyandnumeracy.gov.au/parents

An app to help you unlock your child’s learning potential: https://www.learningpotential.gov.au/primary-school

Parent easy guides, including dealing with peer pressure: http://www.parenting.sa.gov.au/

A wide range of parenting information, including healthy eating and creative play ideas:

http://raisingchildren.net.au/school_age/school_age.html

Ideas for outdoor play in SA: https://natureplaysa.org.au/

Materials and Services Charges (School Fees)

Payments: Your assistance in promptly paying your annual school M & S charges is requested. It is extremely important for school organisation, resourcing and cash flow that payments are made early and/or you inform us of your intention regarding instalment payments if you choose. Our School charges for 2018 are $370 per student and include $320 Materials and Services, $50 Excursion and Performance Levy. Payment can be made by cheque, cash or credit card in person or by filling in the credit card portion at the bottom of your invoice & returning it to the front office

School Card: People wishing to apply for School Card you can collect the form from the front office, or print the attached application form and return it with their health card or pension card so that we can take a copy.

School fees can also be paid in instalments by completing the form attached below.

Canteen Update 2018

Scootz Cafe at West Beach shops continue to provide us with our lunch order service. Please see the 2018 price list attached.

Canteen Volunteers Needed

Unfortunately the canteen has had to remain closed on a couple of occasions recently... Have you got a spare hour or so to help out in Canteen? It can be on a Casual Basis, Once a Week or Fortnight, or Monthly Basis.

Our Canteen is a lunchtime only, Snack & Drink Canteen. No lunches are prepared. They are ordered and delivered by Scootz at West Beach.

All that is required by our volunteers is to turn up at 12.30pm, place the lunch orders once delivered by Scootz into the Lunch Trays for students to collect, then set up the snacks ready for service.

Then there is only a half hour service for snacks between 1.00 pm and 1.30 pm.

After 1.30pm volunteers count the money, put away the small snacks, wash bench surfaces and utensils, and sweep and mop the floors. This should only take 10-15 minutes.

Training is provided by our current volunteers.

If you can help out the school with this service that the children love, please fill in the form below and return it to the front office.

ANGLICARESA Carers Needed

Find out more at an upcoming information sessions:

Tuesday 26th June

Anglicare SA

159 Port Road

Hindmarsh SA 5007

6.30-8.30pm

For more information or bookings call Linda on 8131 3456 or visit

www.anglicaresa.comau/foster-care

Parking Reminders

Just a few reminders to comply with parking restrictions within our school zone.

Our staff car park is for staff only and for parents and caregivers with Disabled parking permits only.

Council compliance officers have been patrolling our school zone recently and have issued expiation notices to parents.

Parents are reminded that children do not have the same knowledge or understanding of traffic flow and movement as adults do. I ask drivers to concentrate on safe driving and parking so that our students remain safe.

Taxis are able to use the three disabled car parks in the staff car park as they provide their service to disabled students.

Student Placements Needed

In June each year, students aged 15 - 16 years from France will be arriving in Australia to study at local schools for 12 weeks. Opportunities are available to become a host family in a volunteer/unpaid capacity.

Host families help provide each student with the chance to study and experience life in Australia. This is a great way to practice your French, share your stories, learn about another country and culture, establish a lifelong link to a family in another country and contribute to international goodwill.

Our students bring with them their own spending money, health insurance, a wonderful attitude and desire to learn about their new host country. Your extended family and friends will grow and learn as you all get to know your new ‘son’ or ‘daughter’ from another land. If your family can offer a friendly, supportive and caring home environment, we would love to hear from you...

For further details, please contact Jenny Hanson (SPANZ SA Placement Co-ordinator)

Ph: 08 83230973 / Mob: 0409-890-184 / Email: info@studentplacement.com.au

Nunga News

Nunga News - Week 6