School Newsletter - In Focus - Vol 3 - Edition 13
Transcription
School Newsletter - In Focus - Vol 3 - Edition 13
IN FOCUS P C A C S 1 2 For your Diary MON 15—FRI 19 AUGUST Science Week A U G U S T 2 0 1 6 V O L U M E 3 , E D I T I O N 1 3 From the Acting Principal FRI 19 AUGUST Senior School Athletics Carnival The Power of Collective Giving MON 22—FRI 26 AUGUST Book Week I am constantly amazed and inspired by the thousands of people and hundreds of organisations that are committed to making the world a better place. Congratulations to the PCACS community for being counted amongst that number. WED 24 AUGUST P&F Committee Meeting, 6.30pm MON 29 AUGUST—FRI 2 SEPT Y10 & 11 OLNA Writing TUE 30 AUGUST Y12 2017 Parent Info Evening WED 31 AUGUST Early Learning Tabloid Sports WED 31 AUGUST—MON 5 SEPT Y10 & 11 OLNA Numeracy and Reading FRI 2 SEPTEMBER Junior Athletics Carnival (Years 3—6) FRI 2 SEPTEMBER Arts Exhibition and Sundowner FRI 9 SEPTEMBER School Open Morning, 9.30am P&F Footyfest, 4.30pm onwards MON 12—THUR 15 SEPTEMBER Year 9 Camp FRI 16 SEPTEMBER Year 9 Camp Recovery Day Please refer to the Events Calendar on the School website for more information Need information? Log in to the parents notes section of our website Username: parents Password: PCACS2016 If your child is absent from School please contact us before 9.00am Absences—9411 4814 or email [email protected] PCACS is an allergy aware School A school of The Anglican Schools Commission (Inc.) This year, the 2016 Junior School Lapathon has raised $18,000 for the ongoing support of a small Christian school in Bali, Sekolah Bintang Timur (Morning Star School), which is providing an essential basic education for local children from a variety of religious backgrounds. Some families can afford the $70 per month fees; some cannot. Some can afford to buy the school uniform, or parts of it; some cannot. The availability of paper, pencils and reading books are dependent on the generosity of ordinary folk like us. But everyone smiles and laughs, works hard and learns hard with any resources that come to hand, and the resulting school community is buoyant, supportive, optimistic, future focused and growing steadily. It is rapidly becoming the school of choice in the area. The genuine warmth and camaraderie of the PCACS Founders’ Day Lapathon was astonishing. Students, teachers, mums, dads, grandparents, friends, locals, siblings—you name it, they were all there on the oval. And collectively, the benefit should not only be seen in financial terms; it was a bonding together of our entire community, focused on a deliberate and selfless goal. The inner heart of our community grew exponentially that afternoon, and in equal measure to the power of our collective giving. Already the Principal of Bintang Timur School, Ibu Susan, is in negotiation with her neighbours in the hope of securing a twenty year lease on the land adjacent to the school. This will provide the play space necessary for the school to be awarded Registration recognition by the Indonesian Government. I heard this week from Ibu Susan that the cost of the lease will be in the region of $18,000. She had no idea how much PCACS had raised, so how close is that! In many countries, the opportunities for education are slim. The majority of children who are lucky enough to graduate from junior school have no means of going further; completing the junior school years is seen as a huge privilege and opportunity for better future employment. It is the same in Bali, though opportunities for schooling are improving year by year. Some children from Bintang Timur School will go on to High School, but it is not guaranteed for all of them. However, the efforts of PCACS will go a long way towards giving this little community a better start in life than might otherwise have been afforded. It is critical that our School community continues to create a culture of service and contribution in order to enlarge our awareness of, and connectedness to, the world beyond the School gates. Thank you for your generous giving. Mrs Maggie Dunnill ACTING PRINCIPAL 12 AUGUST 2016 PAGE 2 Executive and Administrative News Head of Senior School … Link Up Year 12 2017 Parent Information Night An evening to discuss important information regarding students who will complete their final Year 12 studies in 2017 will be held in the Administration Seminar Room on Tuesday 30 August, commencing at 6.00pm and concluding at 7.00pm. Parents will receive a letter outlining the details of this event. I encourage all parents to attend with their child, as there are significant changes which need to be considered to ensure students are in a position to gain the best results at the end of 2017. Key points of discussion will include: • The impact of Year 11 results on Year 12 opportunities. • Significant changes to the Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) calculations. • Online Literacy and Numeracy (OLNA). • Year 12 2017 selection processes. Online Literacy and Numeracy (OLNA), Round 2 A letter has been sent to all students who are enrolled to sit OLNA. The schedule for these compulsory assessments is as follows: Timetable – OLNA Round 2 Writing Wednesday 31 August: 8.35am to 9.35am Room S205 Numeracy Friday 2 September: 8.45am to 9.35am Room S205 Reading Monday 5 September: 8.45am to 9.35am Room S205 Year 11 2017 Course Selection Year 10 students continue to work towards their course selections for Year 11 2017. Parents are most welcome to arrange a meeting with me to discuss their child’s options. A reminder to all parents that the course selection forms are due to be returned to Administration by close of business today. Parents are welcome to contact me if they wish to discuss their child’s learning. God bless. Ms Jude Stringer HEAD OF SENIOR SCHOOL 2017 Fees Increase and Notice of Withdrawal Please be advised that the Finance Committee of the Anglican Schools Commission has instructed that the School increase tuition fees in the range of 2% to 5% for 2017. Please also remember that if you wish to withdraw your child / children from the School by the end of the School year and avoid the penalty for late notification of withdrawal, it is necessary for written notification of your intention to reach the Principal by close of business on Monday 10 October 2016. Mr Andrew Mckenzie-Fraser BUSINESS MANAGER 12 AUGUST 2016 PAGE 3 Executive and Administrative News Head of Pastoral Care / IT Integration Creating Resilient Kids It would be great if we could give our children a smooth journey through life, but unfortunately setbacks are an inevitable part of growing up and being an adult. The good news is that by helping your child to be optimistic when facing challenges, you can boost their confidence, enhance their ability to learn from challenges, and develop a willingness to have another go. Being Optimistic is about seeing challenges as: • Limited. Your child may not be good at one particular thing, but what other things they are good at? • Changeable. Your child may not have succeeded this time, but what are some of the things they could do to improve their chances of success next time? Focus on your child’s efforts and what they can do, not their character. • Controllable. Help your child think realistically about their part in what has happened. Too much blame can result in guilt and shame. You can help your child learn how much responsibility to accept and what changes they need to make to achieve a positive outcome next time. Can you really have an impact? All children benefit from learning and practising skills with supportive adults in caring environments. Parents still have a lot of influence over their children in early adolescence, and their support and encouragement can have an important impact on the development of resilience. As I mentioned in the last newsletter, this term our Year 8 students have commenced working through the Aussie Optimism programme, which includes information on building your child’s self-esteem, managing conflict, planning for success, thinking optimistically, coping with peer pressure, and preparing for the increased workload and expectations of upper Senior School. Working through the programme with your child will give you both the opportunity to develop and practice skills to successfully manage the challenges ahead as a family. God bless. Mr Shane Parnell HEAD OF PASTORAL CARE / IT INTEGRATION Combined Arts Exhibition and Sundowner Keep Friday 2 September free in your diaries, and join us here at PCACS for our combined Arts Exhibition Evening and Sundowner, a chance to celebrate the great work that has been done across the year in the Arts, enjoy a glass of wine with friends, and get a first look at our new Gymnasium in all its glory. Letters will be issued next week with full details, but the Sundowner is scheduled to run from 5.00pm until 5.30pm, at which point the Arts Exhibition and entertainment will commence. Please RSVP to Reception by telephoning us on 9439 3499 or emailing [email protected] by Friday 26 August for catering purposes. 12 AUGUST 2016 PAGE 4 Executive and Administrative News Library News Scholastic Book Fair The 2016 Scholastic Book Fair has come and gone , and it was great to see the excitement that books still have for so many children! Thank you to all who supported this event, and my special thanks to Mrs Natascha Clark, who organised for a group of Senior School students to help guide Clifford the Dog and Geronimo Stilton around during their visits with our Junior School students. Thanks also to Mr James Morris, Mr Ross Griffin and Mrs Claire Trainor for organising selected Year 6 students to assist with the Book Fair before School, at lunch times, and after School—all those who helped were wonderful in their enthusiasm. This year the Book Fair sold books to the value of $10,458.25, which will give the School Library a commission of $3,000 to purchase library books and resources. The Great Book Swap In Week 6 of Term 3 the School will be hosting the Great Book Swap. Students are being encouraged to look around at home, and to bring to School a couple of their preloved, good condition books that they would like to donate. These books can be brought to the School Library or give to the student’s classroom teacher. On Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 August, students from Years 3 to 12 will have the opportunity to come to the Upper Library at lunch time or after School to purchase these books. The parents of Kindergarten to Year 2 students are invited to come to the Upper Library in the afternoons between 3.15pm and 4.00pm. Books may be purchased for $1 per book. All money raised from this event will be donated to the Indigenous Literacy Foundation to enable them to purchase reading material for children in remote communities around Australia. Last year, the School was able to donate $510 to this worthy cause. This is a great way to promote literacy to our own students, while also assisting children in remote communities, so I encourage everyone to get involved. Library Busy Bee After a very successful Scholastic Book Fair, the School has been able to purchase more books for the Library. On Wednesday 31 August we will be running a Busy Bee to cover these new books, and we would love your help if you can spare the time. The Busy Bee will run from 8.30am until 10.30am, with morning tea provided, and participants will be able to say they were among the first to see and handle our newest acquisitions. Ms Melanie Hill LIBRARY OFFICER 12 AUGUST PAGE 2016 5 Staff Profile From the Acting Principal (Continued) In each edition of our newsletter we profile a staff member. This week we introduce Mrs Lucy Roberts, our Music Coordinator. After emigrating from the UK with my family in 1998, I started my Australian schooling as a student at Assumption Catholic Primary School, Mandurah. I will always remember the night we flew out from Heathrow Airport, my sister and I played our cellos at our final school orchestra concert within hours of take-off! I can’t imagine the stress my parents must have been under, but I was, and still am, very lucky to have such a supportive family who, to this day, do not know where I get my musical spark from. During my high school years at Mandurah Catholic College, I was always auditioning and performing in school productions. I sang in the school choir, and played in the school concert band. I never really knew what I wanted to do for a career, I just knew that it had to involve music! Throughout university, I paid my way as a clarinet and saxophone tutor, teaching at several local schools, including here at Peter Carnley Anglican Community School. I developed the Primary Band Programme at Mandurah Catholic College, where I was the director of the Peel Region Combined Catholic School Band. It was during this time that I finally realised what I wanted to do with my life—become a Music Teacher! After a quick change in university degrees to major in a Bachelor of Music Education, in 2010 I was offered my first full time teaching position as the Junior Music Teacher here at PCACS. My goal at Peter Carnley Anglican Community School has always been to ensure that our students are exposed to, and given every opportunity to immerse themselves in Music. It is a passion of mine to teach instrumental music and direct choirs and bands. I am truly blessed and Mrs Lucy Roberts extremely proud to say that I belong to a school that can offer such a variety of instruments and ensembles to our students as part of our Music Tuition Programme and Music Co Curricular Programme. Outside of PCACS, I have played in local community bands, and always involve myself in community choral concerts, especially around Christmas time. I have an incredible love for my French Bulldog, Elvis, and my staffy, Banjo—both very appropriate names for the pets of a music teacher! Not to forget my husband, who puts up with the multiple array of instruments that I bring home. My latest addition to the music room is a set of bagpipes, so it’s no wonder the house next door is up for sale ... Mrs Lucy Roberts MUSIC COORDINATOR Expressions of Interest: Relief Laboratory and Food Technicians Thank you to those who have recently applied for casual relief EA or teaching positions. We are now looking for casual relief Laboratory Technicians and Food Technicians. Please see our website for application details. Ms Ardie McCoy OFFICE MANAGER 12 AUGUST PAGE 2016 6 P&F News From the Acting Principal (Continued) Sports Carnival Canteens Friday 19 August is the Senior School Sports Carnival and your P&F has been asked by the School to run the canteen at Wellard Oval Pavilion for all participants and spectators, as has been the case in previous years. So, we are looking for donations of food—muffins, cupcakes, biscuits and the like— that can be sold to students and spectators. Even more importantly (because I can buy muffins and cakes, but I can’t buy volunteers!) we need the assistance of around 12 parents, who are willing to donate their time to assist with servicing students, restocking drinks, and various set up tasks. You don’t need to have children in Senior School to help out at this Carnival—this request goes out to the entire parent population. Your time contribution can be as little or as long as you would like (spend an hour, or spend all day, it’s really up to you) but by getting at least 12 volunteers it means that the same people who volunteer every year will be spared having to be there all day, which is ideal as we want to avoid volunteer burn out wherever possible. Sorry, but if you have younger siblings on hand, the canteen is probably not the best place for them to be, if only from a health and safety perspective. The canteen will run from 8.00am to around 2.30pm, and we need to have four volunteers on hand at any one time. Donating items for sale couldn’t be simpler. Just drop them off at the Wellard Oval Pavilion before 8.30am on the day of the Carnival. Volunteering your time is even easier, and it also means that you don’t have to bake anything. Simply send me an email (to [email protected]) or text me on 0408921616 and advise the time you would like to help out. One important thing to remember when volunteering at the School—make sure you have read the School Volunteering Policy, and have returned a signed copy of the Volunteer Form. You can download a copy of the policy from the School’s website, and remember, you only need to submit the form once. P&F Quiz Night Yes, it’s making a comeback! Due to popular demand, the Annual P&F Quiz Night will make a return in Term 4 of this year, after a three year absence. More details will be coming home soon, but for now pencil in the evening of Friday 4 November as a night of fun, laughter, and a few brain teasers, some of which just might be of a musical nature. Monthly P&F Meeting The next monthly P&F meeting will be held on Wednesday 24 August at 6.30pm. Everyone is welcome. The meetings are pretty informal, and we usually sample a wine or two in good company. This month we have a very special guest joining us, with Megan Blackman, the President of John Wollaston Anglican Community School’s P&F coming along to share some idea sand experiences with us. I would love to have a good turn out to show the old hands at JWACS how awesome our parents support here at PCACS is, so if you can make it along, please do. The meeting will be in the Administration Building Seminar Room. Just turn up, there’s no need to sign in. Questions or Suggestions? If you have any questions about anything the P&F does, please contact us at [email protected]. Mr Darren Walters PRESIDENT, P&F ASSOCIATION 12 AUGUST PAGE 2016 Reflecting on Upcoming & Recent From Science the Acting Principal (Continued) National Week This year we are embracing the ‘T’ in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) as we focus on autonomous technology as part of National Science Week, which runs from 13 to 21 August. This theme will centre on the real world applications of autonomous technologies in areas including agriculture, mining, manufacturing, and medicine, as well as space and deep sea exploration. Of course, we will also look at how this technology has transformed our day to day lives, from robot vacuum cleaners and lawn mowers, to automated pool cleaners. To celebrate National Science Week here at PCACS, we will be ‘quizzing’ our way through Week 5. On Monday, all Tutor Groups will compete in a Science quiz, with the group that submits the highest number of correct answers in the shortest time being declared the winners. Prizes will be awarded in the Year 7 and 8 category, the Year 9 and 10 category, and the Year 11 and 12 category. Students, you had better have been paying close attention to what was happening in class! We are also counting down to lift off! Our Year 11 Physics students will be assembling and launching rockets during Science Week. These students have been studying projectile motion, and the rocket launching signifies not only their ascension into the realms of physics, bit also our aspiration to take science to new heights. Listen carefully to the daily notices to learn where and when the launches will take place. Mrs Ward and her assistants will also be conducting some cool, hot, and colourful demonstrations in the Science laboratories at lunchtimes, and students are encouraged to come along and enjoy some hands-on activities. Year 9 students who have been involved in a STEM project to construct a mechanical robotic arm will also showcase their work, with their fellow students learning how Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics were applied in the process. Further afield, there will be lots of events taking place around Perth and WA on Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 August. The Perth Cultural Centre will be hosting more than 30 stalls, including science shows, food trucks, practical experiments, roaming performers, and an animal farm. For more information, visit www.scienceweek.net.au, and make the most of National Science Week this year! Mr Robert Carman SCIENCE COORDINATOR Above and Below: highlights from previous Science Weeks suggest great promise for 2016! 7 12 AUGUST PAGE 2016 Reflecting on Recent Events ... the Acting GetFrom your skates on! Principal (Continued) Congratulations to Nicholas Abbott of Year 11, who has been selected to represent Australia in the junior Roller Hockey team which will play New Zealand in the Trans-Tasman Roller Hockey competition to be held later this month. Nicholas is currently waiting for his prized national team uniform to arrive, but in the meantime is pictured (right) in his Kwinana Scorpions rig. We will all be keeping a keen eye on the results from Auckland, and wish Nicholas and his teammates all the best! Mr Roh Weddikkara HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION CORDINATOR Pokêmon Trends in Current Affairs Michaela Dews and Tahnika Woodley of Year 7 came up with a new and improved way of delivering their current affairs content this week. Instead of merely reading about something of interest and asking other to discuss it, they created a PowerPoint about the new Pokêmon Go game that is taking the world by storm. They had scenarios where there were mountains up on the whiteboard, with Pokêmon balanced on the edge, and the girls falling off as they attempted to catch them. Another scenario involved driving along a cartoon road, highlighting the dangers of driving while searching for these elusive creatures. It proved to be a highly topical and entertaining way to deliver a serious message. Well done girls! Ms Melanie Hunt YEAR 7 TUTOR GROUP TEACHER Congratulations! Congratulations to Lataya Lawrence of Year 5, who competed in the WA State Road Walking Championships held in Mandurah on 6 August, and won third place in the Under 10 Girls competition, taking home a Bronze medal. Well done Lataya! Miss Rhiannon Salisbury HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER 8 12 AUGUST PAGE 2016 Reflecting on Recent Events ... From theChallenge Acting Principal (Continued) State Track The very best of luck to Izaac Trainer, who will be competing in the Primary Schools Cross Country competition at the University of Western Australia this week. Students will run a course of 2,500m, across and around UWA’s McGillvray Oval in Mount Claremont. Izaac is likely to have some stiff competition from across the State, and we wish him all the best! Miss Rhiannon Salisbury HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION CORDINATOR Walking and Talking with the Animals On Friday 5 August, our Year 1 classes, in company with their teachers and a range of amazing parent helpers, set off towards Perth Zoo by bus. There, they had a great day, getting involved in lots of hands on activities in the Discovery Centre, and looking at a variety of different animals from around the world as part of their Endangered Animals theme. Our thanks to everyone who helped to make this a special and memorable day for all three classes! Mrs Fleur Gwerder, Ms Robyn Scruby and Mrs Brooke Suckling YEAR 1 TEACHERS Above and Right: Our Year 1 students enjoying the sights and sounds of the Zoo. 9 12 AUGUST PAGE 2016 10 Sporting News From the Acting Principal (Continued) KSSA Interschool Cross Country Carnival On Friday 5 August, the PCACS Junior Interschool Cross Country team competed in the Kwinana Schools Sports Association (KSSA) Interschool Cross Country Carnival held on Thomas Oval, Medina. Led by our Captains, Jake Good and Sarah Mullineux, the team comprised 30 talented students ranging from Year 4 to Year 6, all keen to show what they could do over the 2km (Years 4 and 5) and 2.5km (Year 6) courses. The PCACS Cross Country team put in a dominant performance, with each of our runners finishing in the top 50% of the day’s tallies. As anyone who has experienced the infamous chalk hill will appreciate, this is a fantastic result, and shows the exceptional depth of runners we have here at the School. All of our runners should be proud of their efforts on the day. Every student conducted him or herself respectfully, and represented the School in an admirable manner. As a result of their hard work and training, PCACS won the Carnival by 250 points, and retained the KSSA Cross Country Shield for an astonishing seventh year in a row! Congratulations to the following students who achieved Champion medals: Year 4 Third Place Girl: Joss Wilson Champion Boy: Deacon Mastaglia Runner Up Champion Boy: Lucas Dorant Year 5 Champion Girl: Charis Kingston Third Placed Girl: Lataya Lawrence Champion Boy: Jack Kruger Runner Up Champion Boy: Izaac Trainer Year 6 Runner Up Champion Girl: Sarah Mullineux Champion Boy: Jake Good Runner Up Champion Boy: Harry Maude Above: our medal and shield winners. Below: a selection of our runners on the day. On behalf of the PCACS Cross Country team, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the parents, families and friends who came out to support and cheer our students on throughout the Carnival, as well as Miss Simmonds who helped to ensure that things ran smoothly, and Mrs Layman for her wonderful photography skills (displayed above and below). Thank you all! Miss Rhiannon Salisbury HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER 12 AUGUST PAGE 2016 11 Sporting News From the Acting Principal (Continued) 2016 PCACS Athletics Carnivals The 2016 Peter Carnley Anglican Community School Athletics Carnivals are fast approaching. • The Senior School Carnival will be held on Friday 19 August (Wellard Oval—all day). • The Early Learning Tabloid Sports Day will be held on Wednesday 31 August (School Oval—half day). • The Junior School Carnival will be held on Friday 2 September (Wellard Oval—all day). The entire School will be actively involved in showcasing their talents. There will be track and field events ranging from 100m sprints to javelin throws and long jumps. There will also be team games and relays to round off our days. All students are currently in preparation for these events, and are training hard as part of their Physical Education lessons, alongside their continued involvement in our Co Curricular athletics programmes. On the days of the Junior and Senior School Carnivals, the School canteen will be out of bounds to those students attending the carnival (the canteen will still be available to those in other year groups not participating). The P&F will be selling snacks at the Wellard Oval canteen on the Carnival days, and as P&F President Mr Darren Walters has said in his article, donations of cakes, biscuits, muffins and the like can be dropped off at the Wellard Oval Pavilion from 8.00am or taken to Student Services on the morning of each event. Please remember that we are an ALLERGY AWARE school. Volunteers able to assist with the Carnival canteens are being sought, and are encouraged to contact Darren by email at [email protected]. For the Junior School, two separate Carnivals will be run, one for the Early Learning years (Kindergarten to Year 2) and one for Years 3 to 6. The Early Learning Carnival will be held entirely on our School Oval on Wednesday 31 August, while the Years 3 to 6 Carnival will be held on Wellard Oval on Friday 2 September. Both Carnivals are sure to be action packed and fun filled events. Students are required to wear their full House sports uniform to and from School, which includes their house coloured shirt (not required for Early Learning), navy shorts and the PCACS tracksuit. Students will also need to wear their hats when not competing in events. Attendance at the Carnivals is compulsory, and a medical certificate must be submitted if a student is unable to compete. I would like to take this opportunity to invite all parents, family members and friends of PCACS to come along and support our students. If you are able to assist with marshalling, marking, or other duties please see me on the morning of the Carnival in question, and I will be only too happy to find you a role. Mr Roh Weddikkara HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION COORDINATOR Girls AFL Carnival On Tuesday 2 August, 17 of our students competed in the Dockers Cup Australian Rules Football (AFL) Carnival organised by the Associated Catholic Colleges, and involving six schools from the southern suburbs. Playing AFL was a new experience for all our girls, but they gave some outstanding performances, displaying great skill, sportsmanship and competitive spirit, and should be very proud of their efforts. Mr Adam Halliday HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER Above: Our aspiring AFL girls—well done! 12 AUGUST 2016 Community Announcements From the Acting Principal (Continued) PAGE 12 12 AUGUST PAGE 2016 13 Picture this ... Above and Left: Photographs sent to us recently from the Sekolah Bintang Timur School in Bali, where Lapathon money continues to help to give students a better start in life. Above Left: Lehansa Attapaththu of Year 1 receiving an art award from renowned Perth-based artist Shaun Tan, as reported in last week’s edition. Above Right: Constable Care provide entertainment with a message for our Junior School students, and buddy classmates lend a hand (and occasionally a back) at the Scholastic Book Fair. 386 Wellard Road, Wellard WA 6170 P:9439 3499 E:[email protected] W:www.pcacs.wa.edu.au