W.A. NAPLAN TOP 20 SCHOOLS – 2024
Centre School for Excellence 2023-2026
Great Students, Great Staff, Great Parents, Building Greater Communities
Dear Parents and Carers,
What a wonderful and vibrant couple of weeks we have had at our school!
Swan Valley Day Camp
Last week our Year 6 students attended their highly anticipated two-day camp in the Swan Valley. They all had a fantastic time and embraced many activities they had never experienced before, including the flying fox, archery, crate building and raft building, to name just a few. While the students returned a little weary on Wednesday, the huge smiles on their faces said it all. My sincere thanks go to the Year 6 teaching team and our Admin staff for organising such a memorable event. A special thank you also to our dedicated Year 6 team, our Phys Ed team, as well as Mrs Robinson, Mrs O’Malley, Mrs Avery and Mr McIlwraith—for accompanying the students and helping them create lifelong memories.
Colour Run
We also enjoyed our much-loved Colour Run, organised by our wonderful P&C. I’m sure you will all agree that it was an incredible event enjoyed by students, staff and our generous parent volunteers. We are truly grateful to our P&C for their hard work and community spirit, and to our office staff for the behind-the-scenes efforts that helped make the day such a success.
Animal Shelter
At last week’s Senior Assembly, we were delighted to welcome the local dog shelter, where our Student Executive proudly presented a fundraising donation of $728.90 raised during their recent Sports Colour event. The students loved meeting “Zara,” the rescue dog who came along to receive the donation. A big congratulations to our Student Executive—your leadership and commitment to giving back to the community is commendable.
Leavers Lunch
This week our Year 6s will also be attending their Leavers’ Lunch at the Gosnells Golf Course. Once again, our generous P&C have contributed funds raised from past events to ensure our Year 6 students can celebrate their primary school journey in a special way. We are extremely appreciative of the continued support the P&C provides our school. The students all enjoyed their lunch. Special thanks go to our Year 6 team and Admin staff for organising the event, the table decorations were superb and really added to the event. The staff from Gosnells Golf Club commended our students on their behaviour and were thrilled to have them for lunch.
IMMS
On Tuesday this week, our IMSS students performed to our Years 2 to 6 students. The performance was fabulous. The students in the performance should all be commended for their dedication to their practise and hard work as we could all see the results from their efforts. The students all enjoyed the variety of the compositions that were played. The music captains, Sapphire Lancucki and Sean Wu, also did a marvellous job in leading us through the assembly. Special thanks go to Mrs Belle Connolly, Mrs Liz Rivett and Mr Andrew Frost for their organisation of the assembly.
Kindy Assemblies
We were also treated to our delightful Kindy Assemblies on Wednesday 3 and Thursday 4 December. Our Kindy students made us all so proud, and it was wonderful to see the joy on the faces of families and staff. Thank you to Ms Siobhan Ellis, Ms Kira Sunkar, Mrs Linda Anderson, Mrs Jasmine Bennier, Mrs Lynette Elson and Mrs Leanne White, for their hard work and dedication in preparing such lovely performances. And also special thanks to Mrs Angela O’Malley and Mr Craig McIlwraith for their support during the performances.
2025 Student Leadership
I’d also like to take this opportunity to thank our wonderful Student Leadership for 2025.
Student Executives:
Senudi De Vas Zac Martellotta
Victoria Cao Vinon Samarashinghe
Isabella Oo Braxton Needle
Tissa Shakya Alexander Baba
Amy Zhang Alex Mill
Isabella Wojciechowicz Sarth Jadhav
Music Captains:
Sapphire Lancucki Sean Wu
Faction and Vice Captains:
Gold:
Kiara-Leigh Pike Samil Khanal
Jemma Nwokeiwu Nethulmi De Silva Gunawardena
Green:
Olivia Luong Dave Godika
Birfateh Sidhu Sanvi Chaudhary
Blue:
Esha Raj Gaveen Singh
Osindi Hitapu Ralalage Caleb Samson
Red:
Samantha Walker Rhys Kops
Simrit Mavi Arya Ramlugan
They have all been enthusiastic in all the events that we have asked them to participate in. They have always presented themselves to the highest standards and we are so proud of their accomplishments throughout the year.
As we approach the end of the school year, there is still so much happening across our classes and community. Please remember to check School Stream, our website and your emails regularly to stay updated with all upcoming events.
As this is our last newsletter for 2025 we would like to thank you for your ongoing support and partnership. We hope you all have an enjoyable break, stay safe and we look forward to seeing you in 2026.
Thoughts:
“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.” – Albert Einstein
Reminders
Upcoming events
· 12 December – Yr 6 Leavers Assembly
· 16 December – Book Awards Assemblies
· 18 December – Christmas Carol Assembly
Kind regards,
Paula Asplin
Principal
School News
Caladenia School App
Our school App is called School Stream and you can download it for free. It is an essential resource for parents to have as we use the app for all communication. It is also advised to keep your notifications setting turned on as, at times, it may be the only way the school can communicate.
Scan the barcode or Download the APP
Year 5 Science Outreach Program at Canning Vale College
This term, a select group of Year 5 students from each class were given the exciting opportunity to participate in the Science Outreach Program at Canning Vale College over the course of four weeks.
The students engaged in a variety of hands-on STEM activities that sparked their curiosity and creativity. They had a blast experimenting with “elephant toothpaste,” a fun and fizzy demonstration that wowed everyone. In addition to this, they explored the fascinating world of wind energy, learning how it can be harnessed as a renewable and sustainable power source. These experiments not only helped the students develop a deeper understanding of scientific concepts, but also showed them how science can address some of the world’s most pressing challenges.
Another highlight of the program was the students’ exploration of the United Nations’ Global Goals for sustainable development. Through discussions and activities, they learned about the importance of sustainability, environmental protection, and global cooperation. This experience gave them a broader perspective on how science and innovation can contribute to making the world a better place for future generations. The students were inspired by the connections between science and global responsibility, which will surely stay with them as they continue their educational journey.
We are incredibly proud of how the Year 5’s represented Caladenia Primary throughout the program. They were well-mannered, respectful, and showed a genuine enthusiasm for learning. They asked insightful questions, worked collaboratively with their peers, and demonstrated kindness in every activity. Their positive attitude and eagerness to learn made them excellent ambassadors for our school, and we are excited to see how their passion for science continues to grow. Congratulations to all the students involved for making the most of this amazing experience!
Year 6 Swan Valley Day Camp
Last week, our Year Six students headed off on their long-awaited camp, filled with excitement after hearing stories from siblings and past students. From the moment they stepped off the bus, the sense of anticipation was matched by an incredible range of activities, including archery, crate stacking, raft building, team challenges, the flying fox and the ever-popular commando course. Mixed-group rotations encouraged students to collaborate with classmates they might not normally work with, creating new friendships and strengthening teamwork across the cohort. The instructors were supportive, encouraging and helped guide students through each challenge, whether they were racing through obstacles, building rafts together or getting well and truly muddy in the afternoon sun.
Students were well fuelled across the two days, enjoying fresh fruit and cookies for recess, followed by taco wraps or chicken burgers with chips for lunch, alongside plenty of water and cordial. While the eating time went quickly, the students embraced every moment and made the most of the experience. Many described camp as one of the best memories of their primary years, with some even wishing it lasted longer.
As we move toward the end of the school year, it has been wonderful to see our Year Sixes embrace this milestone with such enthusiasm, resilience and joy, creating memories they will carry with them into high school and beyond.
Year 6 Leavers Lunch – Gosnells Golf Course
Last week, our Year Six students braved the 39-degree heat with enthusiasm as they boarded the bus for their Leavers’ Lunch at Gosnells Golf Club.
The students settled quickly into the beautifully cooled restaurant area, sitting amongst their closest friends and classmates. The room quickly filled with chatter and laughter as they shared stories from their recent camp and spoke eagerly about the high-school adventures awaiting them next year. It was the perfect mix of reflection and excitement as they enjoyed each other’s company during one of their final big celebrations as primary students.
The incredible staff at Gosnells Golf Club put on a feast, with plates filled with fried rice, chicken, salad, vegetables, chips, pizza and fruit salad. Our students rose to the challenge and made sure nothing went to waste! As we move into the final weeks of the school year, it’s heart-warming to see our students embracing these special milestones together.
Student Achievement
Lucas from the Mac Class competed in the 2025 Australia Figure Skating Championships held in Brisbane on 2 December. He had a wonderful experience and was thrilled to achieve First place in his division. Lucas was also the youngest skater in the entire competition, which made this result even more special for him. Congratulations Lucas on such a wonderful achievement.
Ahil from Yr 5 came third place at the Have Sum Fun Competition. The Have Sum Fun Competition is an exciting mathematics initiative that uses a quiz-night format. Teams of six students race against the clock to solve four intense rounds of eight challenging problems. Ahil received a $20 gift voucher. Congratulations Ahil.
Dayaram in year 6, has become a part of Western Australia under 12 cricket team. He represented Western Australia in under 12 cricket league which was held in Melbourne on 24 October to 31 October,2025. Western Australia won bronze medal. Daya also plays under 13 district cricket team. Congratulations Daya.
Sean in Year 6, recently undertook the AMEB Grade 4 Violin examination and was awarded a High Distinction (A+).
The examiner gave very high praise, describing Sean as an exceptionally musical young player. She noted that his performances throughout the program demonstrated outstanding control, maturity, and real artistry, and encouraged him to continue nurturing this wonderful musicianship.
2025 has been a particularly rewarding year for Sean, as he also successfully passed his AMEB Grade 8 Piano exam earlier this year, followed by this excellent result in violin.
Congratulations Sean on an amazing achievement.
At Caladenia, we love showcasing our students’ sporting achievements and events, as well as any other interests that they would like to share with our Caladenia Community.
If you have something your child would like to share, please email along with photos to the email address below:
Justine.arnold@education.wa.edu.au
Class News
Year 3 Room 14 – Mrs Suttie
Room 14 has been busy creating some amazing poetry this term. We learnt all about HAIKU’s and went on a nature hike around the school to generate some ideas. Then we used photos and our drawings from our excursion to AQWA to create poems in the shape of sea creatures. Our poetry wall looks fantastic!
Year 3 Room 7 – Miss Atwell
This term, the Year 3s in Room 7 have been learning about transformations in Maths through creating tangrams.
The students explored how shapes can be moved using translation, rotation, and reflection, experimenting with their tangram pieces to create a range of pictures and patterns. They enjoyed discovering how each transformation changed the position or orientation of their shapes and used this knowledge to solve challenges and build new designs.
It was wonderful to see their problem-solving skills grow as they tried different strategies and shared their ideas with classmates. Room 7 showed fantastic creativity, teamwork, and enthusiasm throughout the activity.
Year 3 Room 27 – Mr Papineau
In Room 27, our Year 3 students have been busy becoming expert procedure writers! Over the past couple weeks, we have been learning how procedures help us give clear, step by step instructions. To put our skills into practice, we followed a written procedure to create our very own Santa masks.
Students carefully read each step, gathered their materials, and worked through the process, cutting, gluing, and decorating with lots of festive creativity. It was wonderful to see how well everyone followed the instructions and how unique each finished mask looked.
Not only did this activity help us understand the structure of procedural writing, but it also brought a little extra holiday cheer into our classroom.
P&C and Community News
Colour Run
The P&C Secretary, Tania, was covered from head to toe in colour run paint. The P&C did a wonderful job organising this event for the school. It was so good to see all the students and staff covered in colours as they participated in laps of the oval. Well done to everyone, especially the P&C.
P&C Holiday Raffle
The P&C holiday raffle was drawn today, and was a big success! A huge thank you to everyone who supported the raffle by purchasing tickets – your contributions help us continue raising valuable funds for our students and school.
Congratulations to the lucky prize winners!
First prize: Cassie
Second prize: Charley
Third prize: Monish
Fourth prize: Asher
Runner up prizes:
Cherilyn, Evan, Osindi, Mahirvir, Avanush, Declan, Baani, Jessica, Rajveer, Smithika, Emma, Aarush, Alice, Guerra, Ada and Huaren
Many thanks to Rashi Tewani from Harcourts Prestige, and Terry Healy for their generous donations, as well as the many parents who donated prize items.
Thank you again to our wonderful school community for your ongoing support!
Colour Blindness
It’s good to know if a child is colour blind, as they may struggle in school with activities that use colours, such as drawing and sorting blocks.
Colour blindness might become obvious after the age of 4 years and is more common among boys. Children who are colour-blind can see as clearly as other children but cannot tell the difference between some colours or see colours differently from other children. This usually happens with reds and greens, and sometimes with blues and yellows.
If your child is colour blind, it’s good to inform their teacher about the condition. This will allow the teacher to choose activities that don’t involve spotting colour differences.
For further details, please see Raising Children Network.
If you have any concerns, colour vision testing can be performed by some General Practitioners (GP), eye specialists or optometrists. You can also contact your local School Health Nurse, on 92588053 for advice
Undescended testes
Screening for undescended testes is recommended for boys at school entry, typically around 4 to 5 years of age. Sometimes, the testes (also known as testicles) are in the scrotum at birth but may move up into the groin or abdomen at around 4-10 years of age. This happens because the cord that attaches the testis to the abdomen doesn’t grow at the same rate as the child.
Undescended testes do not fully descend into the scrotum and can affect one or both testes. Parents or guardians can encourage older children to check for absence of testes in the scrotum themselves. The condition is not painful but can lead to complications such as twisting of the testis, a groin hernia, reduced fertility, and testicular cancer.
For further details on undescended testes, see Raising Children Network. If you have any concerns, please contact your General Practitioner for advice.
From all the staff at Caladenia, we wish you all a very Happy Christmas and a wonderful new year!
Term 1 commences Monday, 2 February 2026
