From the Principal

Term 3, Week 8, Kevin Kennedy

Dear Families,

Sports Day

Friday the 17th of September is sports day and thankfully parents and other family members can attend. All visitors will  need to wear a mask, social distance and check in via the QR code. It will be a fun day and hopefully the weather will be kind to us.

Pupil Free Days Term 4

We are having two pupil free days next term on Friday 22nd  and Monday 25th of October. On these two days staff will examine and map whole school and individual results of NAPLAN and PAT tests and several other assessments. This will form the basis of our whole school planning for next year.

Over the two days we will also start the lengthy process of placing students in classes for 2022. Student placement will be guided (not entirely) by the data we examine on the first pupil free day. Parents and carers will have an opportunity to contribute to this process next term.

Also during the two days staff will be undergoing training on the science of teaching children to read, with a focus on phonics. The training will be supplied by the Department for Education Literacy Guarantee Unit and supported by the schools speech pathologist.

Speech Pathologist

You may be aware we have employed a speech pathologist to work with staff and students this year. Her name is Megan Palmer and she has spent much of this year working with the junior primary classes. In term four she will be working with identified students and teachers in the middle and upper primary classes. Megan’s role goes beyond speech, she looks at the mechanics of reading particularly in the area phonics. She is able to help teachers identify gaps in student learning and provides support and interventions to correct and improve in these areas.  Pleasingly Megan will be part of our staff in 2022.

Greening West Beach Primary

West Beach Primary School is blessed with plenty of space and we are looking at increasing the amount of trees and bushes on the grounds. We are now part of the My Tree Project which is sponsored by SA Water and supported by the Climate Emergency Group, a subgroup of WACRA (Western Adelaide Coastal Residents’ Association). Its goal is to give school children the opportunity to play an active role in dealing with the challenges of climate change. 

By growing their own trees children will contribute to increasing tree canopy in the western suburbs resulting in a healthier more sustainable environment for everyone.  WACRA will be helping us set a propagation nursery where we, the students and staff will grow seedlings native to the area and then plant them at school and possibly at home. There will be opportunities to link this work to the curriculum. We are also looking at purchasing more established trees for our nature play area.

Should you have any queries or concerns please do not hesitate to contact me.

Kind Regards,

Kevin Kennedy

Principal