Caladenia Newsletter Issue 1 Term 1

                           Centre School for Excellence 2023-2026

 

 

 

Affirmation ∼ “No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world.” – Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society

Dear Parents/Care Givers,

Welcome

To all of our 2023 families, welcome back to school and to all our new families starting at Caladenia in 2024, we wish you the very best of experiences in our wonderful school. We also welcome some new staff members to our school. They have fitted in beautifully and are well on their way to becoming familiar with the way we do things at Caladenia. This is already shaping to be an exciting and wonderful year and we are looking forward to sharing the many experiences with you. I am so glad to be back at Caladenia after an extended LSL break in Europe for three months. The autumn colours and the winter snows were awe-inspiring and so much fun. I return with a fresh and changed perspective, knowing what is important and what is not. We have already put into effect some changes that will become obvious this year. What a wonderful start to the year – students have settled in well regardless of the extreme hot weather.

School Events

Thanks to the staff and P&C for the wonderful Christmas Markets last term. I believe it was fantastic. This term, we are planning for the

• P&C AGM (date to be advised)
• Centre for Excellence program to continue with our four Intern Schools graduating at the end of Semester 1 in June
• Pre-Primary and Primary Meet the Teacher – to be advised
• Kindy Meet the Teacher – 21 February
• Assemblies – Senior Assembly Yrs3-6 on 8 February and Junior Assembly Yrs1/2 on 16 February.
• NAPLAN – 13 March to 25 March
• Moderation Day with Wattle Grove PS – 28 March (no school for students on this day

New Staff

The following staff are new to our school in 2024 and we warmly welcome them to our Caladenia family – we wish them a successful and long association with us:

• Cody Lam – Yr 5 teacher
• Rebecca Chan – YR 2 teacher
• Erin McAllister – Yr 5 teacher
• Haidee Acton – Yr 1 teacher
• Katia Stirling – Visual Arts teacher
• Zac D’Souza – Yr 3 teacher
• Catherine Sein – support teacher
• Brent McCurrach – Yr 6 team teaching with Mr Johnson and PE
• Lachie Bailey – PE and team teaching with Ms Wingfield
• Elizabeth Seng – support teacher
• Heidi Butler – School Officer (Front Office)
• Nick Wheatley – Gardener
• Susannah Iskra – Manager Corporate Services (commencing in Week 7)

Traffic Flow and Parking

The City of Gosnells request that all school families observe traffic rules around the school – the Ranger will be visiting our school in the mornings and afternoons during the term to observe traffic flow and rules of parking. The Ranger requests

• Do not park in a Kiss and Drive bay or NO STOPPING, NO PARKING areas
• Do not double park
• Do not drive on the wrong side of the road for ANY distance
• Do onto park on the nature strips/lawns around the school
• Do not park against the flow of traffic
• Do not stop or park in bus bays
• Use Kiss and Drive bays as DROP-OFF only
• Always be aware of children on roads
• Walk or cycle/ride to school
• Always stop on the school side of the road so your child is not crossing the road
• Use the crosswalk at all times
• Use parent parking on school site properly – be quick so others can also access the parking
• Do not block driveways
• Do not park on footpaths
• Don’t get frustrated – it doesn’t help and children will be the losers if you “lose it”
• Observe the 40km/hour speed zone – it is there to protect your children
  A fine will be imposed by Rangers for not observing the above and for parking in a Disabled Parking Bay.

Our School

• This is a 9-week term and ends on Wednesday 27 March for students and 28 March for staff.
• Term 2 is an 11-week term – starts 15 April and ends 28 June

We wish all families the happiest and most joyful year at Caladenia. We will do everything we can to ensure children get the very best from us all. Enjoy your children’s educational journey.

Thank you.

THOUGHT:     Patience is rewarded with kindness.

Ted Nastasi

Principal

School News

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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Student Achievement

Senudi (MAC)

Australian Junior Chess Championships 2024 were held in Glenunga International High School, Adelaide, SA from 13th January to 21st January 2024. Senudi, representing Western Australia, participated in Under 10 Girls’ competitions. Senudi performed brilliantly and emerged 1st Runner Up in Australian Under 10 Girls’ Chess Championship.

In addition, Senudi also became the Australian Champion of Under 10 Girls’ Blitz Championship and won the 3rd place in Under 10 Girls’ Chess Problem Solving Competition.

Senudi, with her brother Yonal, released their first original song and official music video on 28th January 2024. This song, titled “Nangi Mage Katakaari”, is about the siblings’ love. This song is available on YouTube if you wish to view it. Well done and congratulations Senudi.

Class News

Year 6 Room 17 – Miss Jansen

We are off to a great start in Year 6 as we were tasked as a cohort to analyse car registrations. Together we came up with predictions about which number and letter may be the most common in WA car number plates. We were then sent off to investigate the two staff car parks. We applied our mathematical skills by tallying our results and presenting these results in graph form. We also reflected on our results and came up with the conclusion that 1 and H were the most popular number and letter amongst car number plates in the Caladenia Staff Car Parks. We look forward to doing more exciting projects like this in year 6!

 

P&C, School Board and Community News

Book Club

Book Club orders close next Friday the 16th February. Online orders only through the Loop.

 

 

 

2023 Caladenia Christmas Market 

The Caladenia Primary School’s Community Christmas Market unfolded into a resounding success, enchanting the local community with festive cheer.

Hundreds flocked to the event, brimming with joy as they explored the vibrant stalls showcasing handmade crafts, delectable treats, and unique holiday gifts.

What set this market apart was the heart-warming addition of children hosting their own stalls, where their creativity shone through personalized crafts and imaginative goodies.

Beyond the stalls families delighted in a variety of free activities enjoying performances from the school choir and local musician Saskia Doran, whimsical face painting by teachers and students to close encounters with fascinating reptiles and the charm of an animal farm. The Animal Protection Society also played a pivotal role promoting awareness and fostering a sense of compassion within the community. Adding to the merriment was local Member of Parliament Terry Healy showcasing his festive spirit by skillfully crafting balloon animals.

The atmosphere was alive with laughter and the spirit of giving, making it a memorable celebration for all who attended.

The P&C’s meticulous planning and the community’s enthusiastic participation made this Christmas market a truly unforgettable and inclusive community event.

Thank you to everyone who dedicated their time and commitment to making this event one to remember we couldn’t do things like this without the support of the school and incredible teachers.

We hope you all enjoyed your afternoon with us!