From the Principal

Term 4, Week 1 Newsletter

Welcome to Term 4 everyone! I hope you all had an enjoyable and restful holiday break. We are all looking forward to another exciting term of engaging and fun learning activities and events. I would like to welcome our new students this term, Keira and Isla in room 2.

At the end of the 2017 school year, Rosemary Griffin and Carrol Tsioumanis will be retiring. Students, staff and parents will be provided with opportunities to acknowledge and celebrate Rosemary’s and Carrol’s valued contributions and commitment as educators, throughout their careers and here at West Beach Primary School. Information will be shared in the near future in regard to these special events.

This Friday evening we look forward to our Twilight Art and Craft Fair to be held between 4:00pm and 7:00pm. Students, staff and parents have been busy creating wonderful products to sell on the night. Funds raised will be going towards playground upgrades and our Nature play area. Students have developed rosters for their class stall and are very excited about the event. I would like to thank the Fundraising Committee for their tireless work and the many hours that they have committed to organising and running our fundraising events through out the year.

This term our end of year concert will be held on Wednesday 6th December. The theme for the concert will be “Under the Big Top.” Our students really look forward to the concert and love participating in their class performance. Teachers and students put a lot of effort into preparing for this event. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to showcase their talents and demonstrate their learning in the area of music and performing arts. Please put this date in your calendar as it is a very enjoyable end of year celebration for our whole school community. The evening is also another wonderful opportunity to fund raise. Each class will be putting together a themed basked that will be auctioned on the concert evening. Further information about this event will be shared in the near future.

Monday 6th November is our last Pupil Free Day for 2017. On this day staff will be reviewing the 2017 school year. We will be looking at a variety of data sets including learner achievement, engagement and perception data to identify our successes, review strategies implemented, and to assist with planning and identifying school improvement priority areas for 2018. During the first hour of the day some parents and students will join teachers to discuss how we can continue to strengthen authentic student agency in the learning across the school.

We are now commencing planning for 2018 classes and I would like to invite parents to inform the Principal’s Advisory Committee in writing of any particular circumstances or considerations they believe should be taken into account when placing their child within a class for 2018. These might include social, emotional, health or learning issues. Those that have been diagnosed or identified by professionals will take priority. Confidential information relating to issues between families that might impact on the school, should also be submitted.

It is important that parents provide information each year and not rely on the current school staff necessarily being aware of your child’s individual needs. Parents are asked not to request teachers as there will be staff changes and class structures may also look different to what they are now in 2018. The staffing process for 2018 will continue throughout the term and during the school holidays. This may mean that you may not know who your child’s teacher will be for 2018 until the beginning of the new school year.

Please provide information in writing marked confidential and addressed to the Principal’s Advisory Committee or alternatively email the information to Katrina.sexton63@schools.sa.edu.au by Friday 10th November.

Payment of 2017 Materials and Services Fee.

The Governing Council is aware that there are 2017 school fees that are still yet to be paid.  We would like families that haven’t paid their 2017 school fees please do so as soon as possible. This money has provided students with stationary and other resources needed throughout the year.

Over the next few weeks teachers are writing End of Year student reports which will go home to parents in week 9 of this term. These reports are a summary of each child’s achievement this year and areas for further development in 2018. At West Beach Primary School teachers have agreed to forego one fifty minute session of preparation time that they are entitled to each week and bank this, as time to support report writing. This will mean that classes may have a Temporary Relief Teacher (TRT) for a few days over the next 4 weeks. Teachers will try to minimize disruption by having the same relief teacher if possible. The TRT is able to continue the learning program that has been planned by the class teacher. Thank you for your understanding in regard to this issue. Please remember that if you have any questions about your child’s progress that you can make a time to meet with your child’s teacher at anytime throughout the year.

Student Enrollments 2018: Please let the school know in writing if your child will not be returning to West Beach PS in 2018. We are currently working out class structures and it is vital that we have a clear picture of how many students will be in each Year level in 2018. If you are aware of families wanting to enroll their children that live in the local area, please encourage them to contact the school as soon as possible.

Volunteer “Thank you” Morning Tea.

Each year we acknowledge and thank the wonderful parents and community members that volunteer their time to assist our students and teachers in so many ways throughout the year. Our “Thank you Morning Tea” is scheduled for Wednesday 15th November at 10:45-11:30am. We will be sending home invitations in the near future. Please come along if you can as we would like to express our appreciation for the support that you have provided for our students and teachers. Without this support many activities like excursions, camps, swimming, canteen operation, fundraising, sports teams, debating, Wakakirri, would not be able to happen.

Regards,

Katrina Sexton

Principal