Dear Parents/Carers,

MEET THE TEACHER PART 3 - JULIE VERSTEEGH YEAR 5 TEACHER

What are your initial thoughts about Warrnambool Primary School?

It's a great school with some impressive facilities. The staff are so welcoming and it's great to see a number of students being respectful and using manners.

What were you doing before you came to Warrnambool Primary School?

I lived in Mt Gambier and worked at a school called St Martins' Lutheran College. I moved over to Warrnambool with my family in December 2023.

What do you like doing outside of your work life?

I love exercising by going to the gym, taking my dogs for a walk or going for a run. When I want to relax I am an avid reader and can spend a long time reading books.

What are you hoping to achieve this year?

This year I'm hoping to get to know more students at Warrnambool Primary School. I would also love to be able to try out kayaking and stand-up paddle boarding before the end of the year.

COLOUR RUN

We had an amazing time at the Colour Run today!

It was fantastic to see that it was a great day for everyone involved. It is such a spectacle and the students look forward to the day each year!

Cherine Owen, Skye Nichols and the fundraising committee were thrilled with the success of the event.

We thank them for organising such a fun and impactful fundraiser for our school.

A special thank you must go to Donna Dixon for making sure all the bottles of paint were filled in time, staff for their assistance in setting up the stations and helping on the course, McNeil Bros Tyres for donating all the tyres, Danielle Toone for her excellent fire hose skills and to all the parents who helped set-up and ensure the students were covered in colour.

We truly appreciate the donations from our school community and afar as we know that every dollar does go to resourcing our great school.

SWIMMING PROGRAM YEAR 3/4 AQUAZONE

We have commenced our swimming program for Years 3 and 4 students at Aquazone.

Swimming is a crucial life skill, especially in a country like Australia where there's so much access to water.

Cherine Owen and all the parent helpers deserve a big thank you for their efforts in organising and supporting such an important program.

Ensuring children learn how to swim not only promotes safety but also encourages a healthy and active lifestyle.

CITY KINDER VISIT

City Kindergarten visited our school this week.

Giving pre-school children the opportunity to explore a new environment, play games, and learn new skills is incredibly enriching.

A big thank you goes out to the City Kindergarten staff and all the parent helpers for organising and supporting this event.

Additionally, appreciation goes to our school staff for coordinating the visit and to the student leaders for their assistance.

It's evident that a lot of effort and dedication went into making this experience memorable for the children.

YEAR 2 CAMP SOUTHCOMBE LODGE

The Year 2 Camp at Southcombe Lodge in Port Fairy was an incredible experience for our students and staff.

Exploring the beach, fostering independence, and overcoming new challenges was so exciting for these students.

It's wonderful to hear that they had lots of fun in the warm weather.

A big thank you goes out to the parents for their support in making this camp possible.

Dale Beane, Nikki Marris, Edwina Medro, Danielle Toone, Dave Cashin, Ebony Van Der Starre and Ross McRae deserve special recognition for organising and assisting such a fantastic camp.

Their hard work and dedication truly made this experience memorable for the students.

I'm sure the photos will be cherished memories of this unforgettable adventure.

YEAR 6 BIOLAB VISIT

What’s better than playing with slime? Playing with slime for Science!

This week our Year 6 students were joined by BioLAB teachers to learn about the Science behind bath bombs, and why molecules in these substances behave the way they do. It gave students a chance to explore what defines states of matter, how slime defies these definitions, and begin to look at the scientific method and chemical reactions. Students learnt about the three states of matter and had a chance to make their own slime. Students then conducted a series of brief experiments to see which of the states of matter their slime may exist in. The session concluded with students using the scientific method to explore chemical reactions with bath bombs.

2024 NAPLAN COMPLETE

The 2024 National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) is now complete for all Year 3 and 5 students.

We expect the release of student outcomes later next term.

HARMONY WEEK

Harmony Week in Australia is a significant celebration that promotes inclusivity, diversity, and cultural respect throughout the nation.

It takes place in March, with the central message being about embracing and celebrating Australia's cultural diversity.

During Harmony Week, various events and activities are organised across the country to encourage people from different cultural backgrounds to come together, share their traditions, stories, and experiences, and foster a sense of unity and belonging within communities.

It's a time for reflection, appreciation, and understanding of the many cultures that contribute to the vibrant social fabric of the nation.

Harmony Week also provides an opportunity to address issues related to discrimination, racism, and prejudice, promoting dialogue and understanding to build a more inclusive and harmonious society.

Overall, Harmony Week serves as a reminder of the value of diversity and the importance of respecting and embracing people from all backgrounds, regardless of their ethnicity, religion, or cultural heritage.

At Warrnambool Primary School we too celebrate our many diverse cultures and this was shown yesterday by a special assembly led by our Community leadership team and Mrs Allen and by our students wearing a touch of orange.

STUDENT TEACHERS

We are very lucky to have two student teachers at our school working with the Year 3 teachers.

Grace Bennett and Dale Beaton have settled in well to their classes and are learning quite a lot about modern teaching practices including structured literacy and numeracy.

They have developed strong relationships with their mentor teachers and students.

EARLY DISMISSAL LAST DAY TERM ONE - THURSDAY 28TH MARCH 2024 2:30pm

Please be aware that we have an early finish time of 2.30pm next Thursday 28 March. This is state-wide on the last day of the school term.

Have a great weekend!

Peter Lee

Principal

Student Birthdays