From the Principal

Term 4, Week 4, Kevin Kennedy

Dear Families,

Nude Food Day- Wednesdays

Nude Food Day is a nationwide initiative developed to encourage kids and parents to eat well and live well, and eliminate all unnecessary packaging and wrapping that goes into school. We are going to make every Wednesday Nude Food day at West Beach Primary. We encourage families to have a go at reducing the food packaging in lunch boxes and hopefully, over time we will have all students bringing their food in nude on Wednesdays.

2022 Enrolments

Our enrolments have settled, with about 300 students confirmed for next year. As I have mentioned previously we are losing a class but we will be able to maintain Art as a specialty subject. We have a high number of new receptions starting, forty one. A high number of new reception enrolments is a good sign for the school and indicates that over time we will regain the students we are losing through the year seven to high school process.

Class Placements, Structures and Staffing

We are slowly getting there. Classes are looking balanced and we’ve been able to achieve much of what we would like to see in a class. 

There will be a few staffing changes next year. Rebecca Bleby is returning to the school (junior primary class) and Todd Kitto is heading off to lead the hockey program at Henley High. Further information about which teacher will be allocated to which class will be available in the coming weeks.

As you are aware Vicky Jones has been appointed as the new deputy principal for the next three years. She has significant experience in junior primary (leading) teaching and learning. Vicky will help support and develop the schools intervention and literacy programs.

Megan Palmer has been reemployed as the schools Speech Pathologist for 2022. As with Vicky’s appointment this will only strengthen our learning programs across the school particularly with early intervention. 

Pool and Facilities

As I type this newsletter the pool is being filled up, albeit with a very small garden hose. It will be ready for swimming lessons next week. The shade sails and covers will be installed over the summer holidays. When the project is completed we will hold an opening ceremony to celebrate. We are all very excited.

End of Year Concert and Graduation

Both events will be outdoors. The concert will be held on Wednesday 1st December at 6pm on the oval and the year 6/7 graduation will be on Wednesday 8th December at 6:30pm on the courts. This will allow the maximum amount of family members to attend without breaching COVID19 restrictions. The format for both will follow that of previous years.

Kind regards,

Kevin Kennedy

Principal