Author Visit from Charlie Archbold
In Week 8, our junior primary classes had a visit from author Charlie Archbold. Charlie has written stories such as Mallee Boys and The Sugarcane Kids and the Red-Bottomed Boat. Charlie spoke to our students about her writing process and where she gets her writing inspiration from. We got to listen to her reading of her latest picture book Raised by Moths. Charlie even led a writing activity for us to do some story writing practice!
Transition to Secondary School
Message for parents/caregivers of year 6 students
Each year the Department for Education coordinates a state-wide process to assist primary school students’ transition to Secondary School.
Families with students enrolled at government primary schools will receive a unique URL (or web address) by email at the beginning of term 2 in the week beginning 29 April. The URL is sent to the person who has legal responsibility for the child and can only be submitted once.
The email contains a pre-filled form with your child's designated zoned school based on their residential address.
For this reason, the need to ensure that our school has accurate email and address details on file is essential in order to assist the Department for Education in determining your child’s local zoned school. You will need to supply proof of residence documents if you want to make any changes to your address details.
There is an option to register interest in attending up to 3 out-of-zone schools. Information for completion will be provided.
It is important that parents/guardians jointly agree on which secondary school(s) you want to nominate before completion of the registration of interest form as only one form can be submitted for each child.
Ann Gunter
Administration and Sports
Canteen News
Thank you to all the families who have supported the canteen during Term 1 and to those who purchased a cupcake at our recent Harmony Day Special Food Day – I hope the children all enjoyed their special cupcake baked and decorated by Fran of Frans Creative Cakes. Once again a big thank you also to Fran for your amazing support of our school canteen and baking so many cupcakes.
In the first week of Term 2, on Thursday 2nd May, the canteen will be holding a Cupcake Showdown – who will win….The Crows or The Power?!
Pre-ordered cupcake sales will open soon in Qkr and will close at 6pm on Tuesday 30th April.
In Term 2 the canteen menu will alter to offer foods more suited to the cooler weather – curry, pasta, soup and a variety of other specials.
If you wish to know more about the canteen, volunteer your time or provide feedback on food items offered please feel free to email wpps.canteen286@schools.sa.edu.au.
Thank you, Pam
Canteen Manager
Fresh Bites Café
Harmony Day
Harmony Day artwork in M3. We took inspiration from Wassily Kandinsky’s concentric circles to create these ‘Harmony Hearts’.
The children enjoyed Special Food Day including cupcakes baked and decorated by Fran of Frans Creative Cakes. Thank you to those who purchased and supported the canteen.
FUN Raising
Lost Property and Second Hand Uniform
Lost Property has a new home and can now be found by the back entrance to the library. Please try and keep this area tidy and sorted into item groups when looking for your lost items.
All current lost property will be on display in Yard B, outside the canteen on Wednesday 10 April. Please come, or send your child, and look for any lost items from 8.30am until 3.30pm. Even if your items are named, they cannot always be read, so please come and check if you are missing items.
After Wednesday 10 April, all non-school items will be donated to charity and school items that are not clearly named will be sold secondhand.
Secondhand uniforms
Any donations of secondhand school uniform (in good condition) can be left at the front office and will be sold to raise funds for the school. Only school uniform shop items please.
Secondhand school items will be on sale at Friday Fun, all items $5.
Community News
Auskick is an 8 week program offering an introduction to football.
The program is available for children aged 5-12 years old.The program will run on THURSDAYS from 3.30 to 4.15pm at Avenue Road Oval, Westbourne Park Community Centre
Start Date 9th May End Date 27th June
Sports
Volleyball
The Westbourne Park volleyball team is off to a great start in Term 1 with seven players joining the Jump Scare team. The team is made up of both new players and players from previous seasons so there is a good mix of skills and experience.
We encourage all interested students to register. If you are interested in playing and have not registered in Term 1, please email dl.0475.sport@schools.sa.edu.au
Melissa
(Volleyball Co-ordinator)
Cricket
School cricket has had a great start to 2024 for Westbourne Park, with our final week for Cricket played Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd March before returning in term 4.
This year we have one year 2 team and two year 3&4 teams playing Masterblaster at Glandore Oval on Friday afternoons.
Despite the heat we have had a great turn out and a big thanks to our coaches Simon Hobson, Anthony Caruso, and Michael Avon, as well as the parents assisting.
Westbourne Park also has one A grade side of year 5's and 6's playing Saturday mornings.
Improvement each week has been noted and they have won two games out of four so far.
Thanks again to the coach Michael Avon and parent helpers each week.
Mandy McConnell
(Cricket Co-ordinator joint with Sarah Falkenberg)
Department for Education South Australia Community Portal
You would have received an email with the subject line "Congratulations, you have been invited to the Department for Education South Australia Community Portal".
Thank you to families who have registered. If you haven't already done so, please click on the link in the email to go to the Registration Page.
This Portal is where you will be able to access your child's report in Term 2.
Important Dates
12 April – Last day of term 1, 2:10pm dismissal
Term 2 - 2024
29 April – First day of term 2
13-15 May – Year 4 Camp to Woodhouse
7 June – Pupil Free Day for staff curriculum professional development
10 June – King’s Birthday Public Holiday
5 July - Last day of term 2, 2:10pm dismissal
6 July – A day in history - 110 year anniversary of the first day for students at WPPS 06/07/1914
Term 3 - 2024
22 July – First day of term 3
23 August - Pupil Free Day for staff curriculum professional development
28 August – A day in history - school officially opened on 28/08/1914
26 September – Sports Day* (confirmation of this date will be made early in 2024)
27 September – Last day of term 3, 2:10 dismissal
Term 4 - 2024
14 October – First day of term 4
8 November – Remembrance Day Ceremony
11 November – School Closure Day (for significance of Remembrance Day to our history)
12 November – Pupil Free Day for yearly review, classes and 2025 planning
13 December – Last day of term 4, 2:10 dismissal
*Dates to be confirmed in November/December for School concert, EOY assemblies
and year 6 graduation.
Governing Council
The Annual General Meeting was held on Tuesday 13th February and a new Governing Council was elected. We would like to welcome all new Governing Council members who have been elected for a period of two years and thank those, who have retired, for their time and commitment, and supporting our school in their role.
WPPS Governing Council Members 2024
Mark Anders – Chairperson
Theo Sasopoulos – Treasurer
Alex Naylor – Secretary (newly elected)
James Telford
Philippa Marsh
Rebekah Hudson
Noralyn Manucat-Tan
Amanda McConnell
Jessica Walkley (newly elected)
Chris Gobbett (newly elected)
Stephen Muir (newly elected)
Marnie Hope
Staff Representatives – Sean and Tilly
Please visit the School Website to view the Governing Council members’ profiles at https://wbourneps.schoolzineplus.com/governing-council
Mix and Mingle 2024
Tickets for the 2024 Mix & Mingle fundraising event have officially launched on Qkr!
Mix & Mingle is a fun and relaxed kid-free evening with drinks available for purchase via the bar to support the school and nibbles provided.
Grab your tickets now for $15 each (includes your first drink) via Qkr! or at the bar on the night. Each ticket purchased via Qkr! puts you in the draw for this year’s mystery door prize!
This is a night not to be missed, we look forward to seeing you there!
WPPS Fundraising Committee
Attendance Procedure
All students who arrive after the 8:50am bell must report to the front office student services desk (via yard B entrance), sign in and collect a late card to give to their teacher. It is expected that students who arrive late have a reason from a parent or are accompanied by their parent or caregiver who can provide an explanation. Alternatively a parent may contact the school via phone call, email or Schoolzine app.
Music plays in the yard from 8:48am to give students 2 minutes of preparation time to be at class ready to start at the 8:50am bell. The same process occurs at the end of recess and lunch where music plays for 2 minutes before the end of play/start of lesson bell.
Parents/carers will receive a message before recess time for any student who is absent without explanation.
All students who leave before the end of school bell at 3:10pm must be signed out from the front office before being collected from the classroom. An early departure slip will be given to the parent/carer to give to the class teacher. Students will only be permitted to leave early if communication has been received from the parent and the student is accompanied with the parent or agreed caregiver.
In special circumstances, students may be allowed to leave early unaccompanied provided that the legal parent has provided the school with written and signed consent with the knowledge that once the student leaves the school premises the duty of care is passed back to the parent. The principal has the discretion to deny a student leaving unaccompanied if they feel it is not age appropriate, the consent is not trustworthy or it is unsafe to do so.
Any alternative arrangements for events or circumstances that fall outside this procedure will be communicated with parents and carers. This may include but not limited to sporting events, camps and excursions.
Please be aware that students are to arrive between 8:30am and 8:50am unless accompanied by an adult, attending OSHC or an organised before school activity.
Auskick 2024
Canteen News
Our school canteen, Fresh Bites Cafe, is open Monday to Friday for both recess and lunch orders and forms an important part of our school enabling parents to purchase healthy freshly made lunches, or the occasional special treat.
All orders are to be placed via the Qkr! app and need to be submitted by 9am on the day for which you wish to order.
- Recess orders are to be collected from the canteen, if this does not occur the ordered item will be sent to your child's class in the daily lunch tub.
- Lunch orders are grouped by class, placed into the class lunch tub and collected by the class lunch monitors.
For those new to Qkr! I have included a how to setup Qkr! guide along with instructions on how to cancel or modify an order. Orders can only be cancelled or modified prior to 9am on the day of order, any changes after this time need to be phoned through to the school as soon as possible after 9am.
Please note: it is important that the Profile you create for your child/children contains the correct 'Year' level and 'Hg' (Home Group Class Id). This information is critical to ensure any ordered food/drink items are correctly dispatched to your child's class. You can maintain this information at any time in the 'Profiles' tab in Qkr!
The canteen is also open daily at recess and lunch for over the counter cash sales of homemade biscuits, frozen fruit, freshly popped popcorn, ice-blocks and fruit based slushies. Occasionally the canteen may also have recess over the counter specials available - pita pizza slices, mini pancakes, muffins, milk shakes etc.
Included with this newsletter is a copy of our current Term 1 Canteen Menu, Qkr! will display the daily availability of items listed on the menu.
Our menu changes to reflect the seasons and incorporates a variety of hot and cold food items that meet the Right Bite Food and Drink Supply Standards for South Australian schools.
Later this term we will hold our first Special Food Day to celebrate Harmony Day - details will be provided closer to the date.
Volunteers play an extremely important role in our school canteen ensuring that we can continue to provide a variety of freshly prepared on-site food items for the children and staff. If you are interested in volunteering for a few hours, once or more per term, please see the School Website or front office for a School Volunteer Pack. It is also a requirement that canteen volunteers, as food handlers, have food safety skills and knowledge in food safety and hygiene - this involves completion of a food safety training course such as Home - DoFoodSafely (health.vic.gov.au)
If you have any feedback on menu items, volunteering or would like to know more about our school canteen please feel free to email me at wpps.canteen286@schools.sa.edu.au or drop by the canteen.
Pam, Canteen Manager
Fresh Bites Cafe
Playgroup
Wakakirri Story Dance Competition
Hi families,
It’s Waki time again! We are once again competing in the Wakakirri Story Dance competition. The theme for this year is ‘Belonging’ and we have chosen to retell the Disney version of the story of Tarzan.
This year 42 students in years 5 and 6 have chosen to be part of our Wakakirri team. For those who don’t know, the Wakakirri Story-Dance is a 3-7 minute story (orientation, complication, resolution) performed on stage to pre-recorded music, using a blend of creative movement and acting.
Our Wakakirri team will plan, choreograph and rehearse our Story Dance and then perform it at the Norwood Concert Hall in week 3 or 4 of Term 3.
Today many of the students auditioned for our lead roles. Hannah and I were impressed by the number of kids that tried out, and the effort they put into their auditions. Whilst there are only 9 leads, every member of the Wakakirri team is important. Our story doesn’t work without understudies, ensemble members, backstage crew, parent helpers and teaching staff.
We are looking forward to another fantastic year of Westbourne Wakakirri – Our students are headed for the stage!
Anj and Hannah
Wakakirri co-ordinators
Abi (Tarzan), Seb (Terk)
Willa (Tantor), Ethan (Professor Porter), Zara (Kala), Sarah (Jane), Nell (Kerchak),
Abbie (Young Tarzan), Krishil (Clayton)
Parking Control Around Schools
Please see below brochure from the City of Mitcham Council to inform drivers about public safety and provide for student safety around roadways during schools drop off and pick up times.
Community News
Welcome Staff
Please welcome, from left to right, Kim Black, Assistant Principal (Early Years and R-6 Curriculum focus), Emma Polkinghorne, Year 1/2 M3 and Bonnie Fry, Reception/Yr 1 M10.