From the 

Principal's Desk

A WARM WELCOME TO  TERM 3 WEEK 7

We’ve reached the halfway point of Term 3, and there has been much to celebrate and look forward to at our school! 

National Science Week was a fantastic success, with students diving into experiments, presentations, and science-themed activities. On Monday 19th August students from Year 3 – Year 5 were given the opportunity to take part in an exciting Science incursion. Our School Hall was transformed into a crime science and evidence lab where our students were provided with an engaging, hands-on experience.  Acting as both forensic scientists and as detectives, our students use their creative and critical thinking skills to analyse the forensic evidence and piece together the story. Our young scientists showed great enthusiasm and curiosity, making this event a highlight of the term.

Primary Principal's Day was another special occasion, and I was very humbled by the lovely tokens of appreciation I received from both students and staff. I was spoilt with a book that had contributions from all the students across the school, handmade cards, a special lunch, and a decorated office. I was also very lucky to receive a special gift from Dr Jags Krishnan MLA who acknowledged our partnership in striving for the best education for students in the Willetton area.  

Our recent School Board Meeting was held on the 7th of August. We had a busy agenda with several staff members in attendance sharing information about recent projects they have been working on. We were also honoured to have Paula Cameron from Resolution Strategy, one of our community representatives, share her insights on effective strategic planning. Paula is currently supporting School Board Members with brainstorming ways they can leverage their expertise to support the school in writing its next strategic plan. Paula is a former student of Burrendah Primary School and has been a member of the School Board for the past 2 years. 

The School Board would also like to welcome our newest member, Kaveesh Kavar. We are thrilled to have Kaveesh join the board and bring his insights and passion to our school community. Kaveesh is currently completing the mandatory requirements for board members and will hopefully join us at our next meeting on the 4th of September 2024.

One of the highlights of this term was receiving our school data from the NAPLAN Assessments that were completed by our students in Term 1. The data was a cause for celebration with our school achieving above Like-Schools in all areas. 

Some of the highlights include:

- Year 3 Numeracy – More students in Strong and Exceeding than Like-Schools.

- Year 3 Numeracy – Significantly more students making High and Very High progress from Pre-Primary to Year 3 than Like-Schools. 

- Year 3 Reading – More Students in Strong and Exceeding than Like-Schools

- Year 3 Reading – Double the number of students making High and Very High progress from Pre-Primary to Year 3 than Like-Schools.

-  Year 3 Writing – More students in Exceeding than Like-Schools. 

- Year 3 Spelling – More Students in Strong and Exceeding than Like-Schools

- Year 3 Grammar - More students in Strong than Like-Schools. 

- Year 5 Numeracy – More students in Exceeding than Like-Schools.

- Year 5 Reading – More students in Exceeding than Like-Schools. 

- Year 5 Writing – More students in Exceeding than Like-Schools. 

- Year 5 Spelling – Significantly more students in Exceeding than Like-Schools. 

- Year 5 Grammar – More students in Exceeding than Like-Schools. 

In all areas, our school is exceeding our Like-Schools! A huge congratulations to all students and teachers for these wonderful results. We are very proud. 

We are delighted to share with our community that the P&C has recently approved the funding applications for the school to improve some of our facilities and resources. This includes;

- New and additional bike racks. 

- New library books. 

- Additional interschool shirts.

- New choir shirts.

During the meeting, we also discussed several upcoming improvements to the school grounds, which will enhance our learning environment and outdoor spaces.

We are deeply thankful to this group of volunteers for all the work they do to raise funds for the school and promote a welcoming community. Please support their next fundraising project on Friday 30 August from 5pm - 7:30pm (Movie starts at 6pm). Book Tickets here: http://www.trybooking.com/CUFLU

Looking ahead, we have a School Busy Bee coming up soon. This will be a wonderful opportunity for our school community to come together, lend a hand, and make our school even better for everyone. Keep an eye out for more details on how you can get involved.

Lastly, a big congratulations to our Interschool Cross-Country Team! They put in a tremendous effort and brought home several medals. Their teamwork, determination, and sportsmanship were on full display, making us all very proud. The medal winners will be honoured at our next assembly on the 30th of August 2024. 

As we move into the second half of the term, we look forward to continuing this momentum and achieving even more together. We are also hopeful the weather will start to improve in the coming weeks.