Hello everyone,

I would like to thank everyone that came to our Classroom Information Meeting Evening recently. It was fantastic to see so many parents coming along to meet teachers and find out about 2024 classrooms.

School Board

The Flinders Park School board is an important part of our school. At our first meeting we elect the Board Chair for the year. Shantell Anderton has been the board Chair since her election in 2021 but has made the decision to step back since her term on the board will soon come to an end. I would like to thank Shantell for her work as the School Board Chair for the last two and a half years. During her term as Chair, the school developed our current Business Plan and have also fulfilled their governance role to ensure that the Business Plan is being followed.  Meghann Tysoe has been elected as the new Board Chair for 2024. Meghann has been on the Flinders Park School Board for several years and brings this experience to her new position.

There are two positions for parents available on the School Board. If you are interested in considering the role but have some questions, feel free to call me or email so that I can answer your questions. I would like to encourage you all to consider being involved. A copy of the nomination form was sent home this week. If you didn’t receive a copy, call into the front office for a copy.

Swimming Carnival

Thank you to the parents that came along and supported our recent Swimming Carnival. Thank you especially to those who volunteered their time to help with the various jobs and tasks that needed to be done. Special thanks go to Mrs Menegola for her fantastic organisation of this event.

NAPLAN

Do you have a child in Year 3 or 5 that will be part of the NAPLAN Assessments shortly? Here are a few hints to get you through:

• Treat it like any normal day at school – it is fine to not even mention it. Talking about it just adds to any anxiety children might be experiencing.
• Don’t plan any late-night adventures during the assessment week. Having a good sleep helps the children to be alert and able to demonstrate their true ability in the assessment.
• All we ask is for students to give the assessment their best go. Attempting answers is better than leaving them blank. Teachers will help the students check that questions have been answered.
• Don’t engage with the media. Over the years I have heard some terrible messages on the news and radio about NAPLAN that might stress you out. See point 1 – just treat it like a normal day. The media are just trying to beat up something that really isn’t a story.
• If you child is unwell, we have catch up days in our schedule. Once they are well and back at school they can still complete the assessment.

In my experience, students sail through NAPLAN easily, so long as we don’t make it a stressful event. At school, we approach it calmly and encourage students to give everything a go. It is a helpful assessment so we can understand student learning at school so far, but it doesn’t dictate their future.

I hope to see you around the school or at an assembly soon.

Julie Simpfendorfer

Principal

The two boxes, referred to as “Drop Boxes”, are for the school and P&C to use for cash payments and filled permission notes.

School Drop Box

When students bring cash to pay for an excursion or item, it must be in a
marked envelope, and they must put it in the Drop Box outside admin in the Block 5 verandah.

We check it after 9am and encourage our students to bring payments up at the start of the day.

P&C Drop Box

The P&C Drop Box will work in much the same way as above.  The P&C will direct families as to when the Drop Box method will be used and it will be an option available to the P&C along with other usual methods. 

Quotes from Room 4.2 about the Incursion:

“We learnt about what they had in the fire truck.”

Most agreed it was a good incursion. All students were aware of the fire alarms in their house. All students will go home and tell their parents about the safety plans given to them by the fire fighters.

Issue 2 orders are due by Friday 15 March 2024. Orders can be made online by visiting scholastic.com.au/LOOP or cash payments with the completed order form can be placed in the school Drop Box outside the main office.

Welcome to the new school year. My name is Kate and I am the School Health Nurse who visits your school.

School Health Nurses work in schools to promote healthy development and wellbeing so students may reach their full potential. We serve as a health contact point for children and their families, providing information, assessment, health counselling and referral. Services we provide are free and confidential.

A major part of our work is focused on early intervention and the School Entry Health Assessment program. Additionally, the nurse can be contacted at any time throughout primary school if you have concerns about your child’s health, development or wellbeing.

If you have a concern about your child’s health or development, please don’t hesitate to reach out via the school who will have our most up-to-date contact information.

Kate, School Health Nurse

Flinders Park Primary School

51 Yatana Rd

Bayonet Head WA 6330

(08) 9892 5200

FlindersPark.PS@education.wa.edu.au

Absentees SMS 0438 900 275 or submit via Connect

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Visit us on the web at www.flindersparkps.wa.edu.au

At Flinders Park Primary School we respectfully acknowledge the Noongar people as the traditional Custodians of the land we live, learn and play on.

We embrace the Noongar community and their continuing connection to Country, water and sky and pay our respects to Elders past and present. As a school we are committed to fostering respectful relationships with the First Nations Peoples and welcome their guidance and support.