Principal  Message

I hardly know where to start for this edition of the the Newsletter with such a big and successful Arts Festival. Once again, for a small public school we have certainly shown what passion and hard work can achieve as a community and the end result was a day and evening that celebrated the Arts in so many different ways.

There was something for everyone from live music and dance performances, visual arts exhibitions, computer coded musical fruit, clay and computer animations, sculptures and finally the colour projection onto our historic stone building. What was really lovely was the fact that our students really got the chance to shine. Some will have also been inspired to perhaps try something new after discovering how much they enjoyed their chosen medium. 

We also have a video and photos that have been supplied by Jackie Barrett, who was able to record the workshops during the day. These are available to view in your Compass portal. 

Art Project Photos

Yolande Larrett also spent time during the workshop sessions recording our students experiences. These photos also can be viewed in your Compass portal.

I have a long list of people to thank but top of the list is Kirsty and Eliza. I cannot begin to count the hours they spent organising the workshops that ran throughout the day as well as the evening activities, performances and aesthetics. There were so many moving parts to the event that it took two very skilled and talented people to pull it off.  

I know that Kirsty and Eliza will also join me in thanking the staff at WPS for all their work and effort helping to make the event a success.  This was the first time WPS has run an Arts Festival so we started with a blank canvas and all had to envision what it could look like. The Art projects that each student choose to participate in had a whole school element to the Arts but also gave our students an opportunity to work on a project that took 5-6 sessions to plan and create. Building resilience, patience and creativity in the process was an important part of why we did the art projects. It was also a nice way for multi-age groups to come together and a chance for students and teachers from different levels to get to know each other. Our Preps loved working with the older students and there were plenty of times when we saw students encouraging each other and celebrating their success'. I would like to thank the teachers for being willing to tap into their creative side and run these workshops over their busy term teaching programs. 

Thank you to Terri Fernando, our FOWPS President and her family for organising and setting up the food and drinks stall for the night. Not only that, she organised the hot dog lunches for the day and has put together the Father's Breakfast that ran this morning. That's a very big effort and we thank her for her dedication to FOWPS and WPS. Thank you to any parents that also volunteered their time on the food stall and for also helping out supervising the displays and information tent. 

I would also very much like to thank our parents that contributed to our day by running workshops with our students. We had Sarai Meyerink whose beautiful animal portraits were the backdrop for inspiring our students. The rainbow lorikeets that the children drew were beautiful. Saria also was a huge help on the eve of the Festival. To her and the parents that came to the school at last minute on the eve of the Festival to help us, we thank you for helping us get everything ready on time.

It was great that also have parent, Emma Wood, run some fantastic drama workshops which the older students enjoyed. Improvisation drama activities are a lot of fun but require some very skilled instructors to get the best out of the session and the students had a great time. Thankyou Emma, for sharing your skills with us and engaging our students with another aspect to performing arts.

Of course, the Silent Disco was a real hit. WPS is the host of the community silent disco in the warmer months and as a gesture of good will Kim Thompson from Fun Frequency Silent Disco's offered their services for the night. I actually think that silent disco as a lunchtime activity would be popular and a great way to burn off energy and regulate.

Thanks also to our Prep teachers. Chris Cavill, who not only ran ukelele workshops throughout the day but also put on a great performance with his son, Jesse on the night. The rain didn't stop them from sharing their music and celebrating how music can really enrich our lives and our relationships.  Steph Chivell is to be thanked also for the many hours spent helping Kirsty and Eliza set up and guide the teachers in their displays. 

We want to make a special mention to Jarrah and Atti, along with Hugh & Genevieve who spent many weekend hours helping Kirsty and Eliza doing lots of the less glamorous jobs like screwing chairs and moving things around the school. 

Michelle Chan was in her element running the interactive Makey Makey activity. This was an interactive science activity that involved fruit and coding. It was very popular, but Greg did comment that perhaps he should not use bananas next time.  

Thanks Sam McKenzie at SLV Production Sound Lights who provided stage audio and lighting. Scene Change too, who gave us 50% off for the professional lighting you saw around the school.

Finally, we must acknowledge and thank the hard work of Kirsty's family. Lachie set up  and managed the projection mapping on the stone building but also did the lighting installation and removals as well and too many other things to mention. I have to say that Lachie has the same calm, patient and kind manner as his mother, Kirsty. He and her husband Donald were lovely to work with. Teacher's families often get dragged into school jobs, but the Wolters family are a well-oiled machine when it comes to supporting WPS and Performing Arts.  

Father's Day Breakfast

We did to and fro about whether we could run a Father's Day Breakfast after a huge event like the Festival, but in the end we didn't want to deny our students the chance to enjoy what has become a WPS tradition.  On Mother's Day I paid a tribute to mothers and all they contribute to the lives of our families and so I want to take a moment to reflect on the difference father's make in their children's lives and the remarkable significance they play in shaping our children's characters. 

Like Mother's Day, Father's Day has its origins in the early 20th century, when a woman named Sonora Smart Dodd wanted honor her father, William Jackson Smart, a Civil War veteran who single-handedly raised six children after his wife's passing. Inspired by the newly established Mother's Day, Sonora wanted to recognise her father's dedication and sacrifice. The first Father's Day was celebrated on June 19, 1910, in Spokane, Washington.

Over time, Father's Day gained recognition and popularity, spreading across the United States to what is now a global celebration in many cultures. It serves as an opportunity for us to express our gratitude and love for our fathers. As the world rapidly changes it is the stability and continuity that fathers and father figures provide for the younger generations that is so important.

As adults, we consider our fathers on this Day through a very different lens than that of a child. As parents ourselves, we can now come to understand just how hard it might have been for them too. It's difficult for me as a mother to reflect on the role of a father. So, I will consider it from the perspective of being a daughter. My father holds a very special place in my heart, and he has been the best kind of role model for me. As I watched his career success' he has instilled in me a very strong work ethic. My moral compass mirrors his and defines the actions I take in my daily life. More importantly, through his actions now as a grandfather, he has shown my children that a family thrives where there is unconditional love and stability. A generational legacy that I hope will be passed on when my children become parents. Indeed, the influence of a father transcends time as the traits and values they instill in their children are passed down from one generation to the next. 

Enjoy your day Dad's.

Nieta