School Newsletter
2 December 2015
2 December 2015
As I will be taking two weeks leave and heading off with my family, I would like to thank all the students, staff and parents for another successful year. The school has been led ably by our Year 6 students, and I wish them well on the next part of their educational journey. I would also like to acknowledge the staff and all our wonderful volunteers for supporting our students.
I am in the privileged position to see the school in action at Richmond Street Kindy and Matlock Street Primary. I have enjoyed my many visits to the classes and the playground and also the many events our students perform and compete in. The program is diverse and we continue to look at refining and differentiating the curriculum to cater for the needs of our students.
Last week I was approached about taking a position as a Principal Consultant for a six month period commencing January, 2016. I have accepted the position and see it as an opportunity after nine years in the chair at Mount Hawthorn Primary to develop professionally and build on my skills.
It will also give someone an opportunity to put a fresh set of eyes on the processes in place at MHPS. Ms Carol Selley from Kyilla Primary School will be taking over in my absence and is excited about the opportunity. I will make sure Carol has all the support she requires and will conduct an extensive handover in January.
Lorena Rock will be in the Principal’s chair for the remainder of this year, commencing this Friday.
Have a wonderful holiday filled with family, friends and books. Read to your children, throw, catch and play, play, play with them.
I have had a number of conversations with parents about planning for 2016. I welcome these discussions and will continue to be transparent about planning. Class structures are taken very seriously by the Administration team, with discussions beginning in July for the following year. The final structure is often not finalised until late January due to the likely fluctuations in enrolments, which the school has experienced in previous years. It is only in the last two years we have had the capacity to inform parents early.
The Administration team will be working throughout January to finalise structures and staffing to ensure a smooth start to the 2016 school year. I will lead this process and will consult with the new Principal, Ms Carol Selley. My taking leave will not stall the work of the team, which will continue as it has in past years and to the school’s timeline.
The facts are as follows:
My role as Principal over the past nine years has been to support students to achieve the best possible outcomes with the resourcing allocated.
Congratulations to Emerson, Rhiannon, Charlotte, Prue, Aaron and Lachlan on gaining entrance into the 2016 PEAC Program.
On Saturday, 28 November four students were part of the Coderdojo WA 2015 Digital Project Awards held at Perth Town Hall. Coderdojo WA is a not-for-profit organisation supporting the development of digital literacy (coding) skills amongst young people aged seven to seventeen years. The event was held in conjunction with the Perth Games Festival.
Our students had great success:
Aaron (Year 4) was a finalist in the Rising Star category; Sage (Year 4) was a finalist in two categories –Â Invention, and Entrepreneurship and Discovery; Gemma (Year 6) was the winner of the Creativity category; and Ariel (Year 6) was the winner of the Rising Star category, she was also presented with a Leadership Award from Lyn Beazley, Coderdojo WA Patron and former WA Chief Scientist.
On Tuesday, 10 November the Year 6`s competed in an Interschool Cricket Carnival. There were over 50 Year 6 students divided into even teams. The Year 6`s had already been in the middle of competing in their own cricket carnival at Menzies Park. The carnival was run and set up by staff from the Western Australia Cricket Association with the help of SEDA students. All of the teams played well and one of the girls teams managed to get 2nd place, and one of the boys team placed 4th. All the Year 6`s who competed did an excellent job at not just cricket, but showing a lot of sportsmanship and teamwork. There were players who don’t play cricket regularly, but we looked after them and they were taught well by their teachers and teammates. Overall the carnival was a big hit and many of the kids enjoyed it. By Phoenix Year 6, Room 22.
During term 4 students in Years 1 to 3 took part in a series of cricket clinics provided by our district officer from the Western Australia Cricket Association. Samantha Divine and her colleagues organised some fantastic skill based activities and made cricket a lot of fun for our juniors. Samantha also provided feedback and support in our older grades to develop cricket within our school.
These students had the opportunity to play during lunch at the Test Match on Friday, 23 November at the WACA for their cricket club Leederville/Mount Hawthorn.
Our Year 6 girls Association Cup Basketball Team winners were invited to play in the Champion Schools Cup on Wednesday, 25 November. They competed against other schools who also won the Association Cups throughout the year. The girls were up against some tough competition but competed very well. Some of the teams the girls competed against were Sutherland, Beechboro and East Butler. Well done girls for your commitment to training throughout the year under the guidance of Di Dempster, and thank you to Di and all of the other parents who managed, scored and helped out at the carnivals.
This term, some students had the opportunity to take part in a number of golf clinics run by Golf WA. Students were exposed to a number of technical golf skills that they could apply out on the green. Thank you to Billie May for visiting our school. For interested students that would like to try golf- local golf club Mount Lawley Golf Club Duncan Kegg Ph: 92714033.
Throughout the year Amanda Derbyshire and her team of postgraduate students from the School of Sports Science Exercise and Health at UWA have been running a movement program for students in Kindy to Year 2. The program aims to improve fundamental movement skills in primary school aged children. Students had the opportunity to be part of a series of activities to develop and improve their fundamental movement skills. This program has been extremely successful at Mount Hawthorn Primary School and will also be offered in 2016, enrol now.
Michael (Year 1 Room 4) for being the first junior to have achieved a Marathon. Well Done.
Madeline (Year 5 Room 35) and Catherine (Year 5 Room 39) will be performing in The Nutcracker Ballet, congratulations on your hard work and dedication girls.
If you are heading to Bali PLEASE only drink what you can open including beer, wine, cider, pre-mix and your own Duty Free. The last two victims of Methanol Poisoning were two mums on holiday with their children drinking Mojito’s with lunch! Just because we pay more doesn’t mean it is safe. Carry this Drink Safe Card.