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,
We have come to the end of Term 2, and it is great to reflect on all that we have done during the term. I’d like to extend my personal thanks to our wonderful staff for everything that they have contributed to during the term. As I’m sure you are all aware there is a lot that needs to be done behind the scenes to ensure that the day-by-day items happen, and we also add to this when we organise special events. Our school staff all work together and contribute to make sure that students, families and staff all have what they need to continue to work towards creating a great school and environment.
Premier’s Reading Challenge
The Premier’s Reading Challenge has come to end – and overall, we had 75 students participate. During the challenge two students were honoured with prizes. We are pleased that many of our students participated this year and look forward to next year’s challenge, where hopefully we will have more students join in the fun.
Electronic Student Reports
Thank you to parents for your patience and understanding in our move to issuing reports electronically. If you are having any trouble in accessing your child/children’s reports, please contact us, we are happy to assist. 
Term 3
Next term we have a few staffing changes:
• Ms Victoria Avery and Ms Angela O’Malley will be continuing to cover the Deputy Principal roles that they have done this term; we thank them both for their support this term.
• Mr Craig McIlwraith will be taking some long service leave at the beginning of Term 3 and Mr Phil Chandler has kindly agreed to join the Administration Team, as Deputy Principal for this period. We wish Mr McIlwraith an enjoyable holiday
• Ms Lee-Anne Bartlett will be returning from Yealering PS and we are looking forward to her return. We thank Ms Marie Lynch for covering Ms Bartlett’s class while she was away.
• Ms Marie Lynch will be covering Mr Phil Chandler’s class during Term 3, while Mr Chandler is covering Mr McIlwraith’s long service leave.
• Ms Amour Jansen has decided to return to studies, so she will be reducing her work commitments to four days a week. Ms Jansen will be in her class on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursdays. We are currently investigating who will be taking the class on Fridays. As soon as we have made a decision, we will inform the community.
• Ms Darcy Pickett has decided to travel during Term 3, we are sorry to see Ms Pickett leave, and Ms Jasmine Bennier will be replacing Ms Pickett
NAIDOC Week
We have a lot happening next term. Our term begins with the celebration of NAIDOC Week. Our HASS committee have organised for Moorditj Mob to visit our school along with our NAIDOC Assembly on Thursday 24 July. Parents make sure you save the date for the NAIDOC Assembly it is always a wonderful event.
During the school holidays, the City of Gosnells have lots of events happening to celebrate NAIDOC Week. Many of the events are free, but they suggest that you book to make sure you can attend. They have different events happening each day so it might be nice if you are wanting to join in with the celebrations to chose one or two events to attend. We’ve included the link so that you can see what events are available.
https://www.gosnells.wa.gov.au/Lifestyle/Leisure_Activities/Major_Events/NAIDOC-Week
Also, this term we were able to have our first Aboriginal Education Conversation, and it was a superb opportunity to chat as to how we can continue to develop and improve our cultural responsiveness as a school. We look forward to continuing our conversations and improving our ways of engaging with our Aboriginal community and seeking input from them in ways to share more information about events that families can enjoy at any time, other than only NAIDOC Week.
Book Parade and Book Fair
We will be celebrating Book Week with our Book Parades on Friday, 1 August – so make sure that your children have decided their favourite book character and who they are going to come dressed as. There will be more information coming out early in the new term about these events. Our Book Fair is also celebrated at the same time, as Book Week, and it will be open from Friday, 1 August through until Wednesday, 6 August, so please come along and have a look at the wonderful books on offer.
Swimming
As you will be aware we also have swimming classes organised for all students from Week 3 through until Week 8. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact your classroom teacher or the Administration office.
After School
Just a reminder parents – we have advised students not to play on the equipment or around the school grounds at the end of the school day, as staff have meetings and are not able to supervise. Our school day finishes at 2:30 pm, so we need parents/carers to collect students at this time. We have many after school care options available and they are included at the end of each newsletter. We thank you for your support in this matter.
Thoughts:
“The holiday season is a perfect time to reflect on our blessings and seek out ways to make life better for those around us.” – Anonymous
We hope you all enjoy the holiday break, stay safe and well and we look forward to seeing you all in the new term.
Kind regards,
Paula Asplin
Principal
School News
Reminder: School Starts on Monday 21 July 2025
Traffic Flow and Parking
Thank you to all parents using the Kiss ‘n’ Drive on Bushy Gardens, we are having success with parents using the Kiss ‘n’ Drive correctly and it is working much better.
Parents, please remember that the City of Gosnells request that all school families observe the traffic rules around the school:
• The Kiss ‘n’ Drive is not a parking zone – do not park in a Kiss ‘n’ Drive Bay, or on Bushy Gardens in front of the Visitors parking
• Do not park on the footpath on the other side of the Kiss ‘n’ Drive
• Do not park on the wrong side of the road
• Always be aware of children on roads and footpaths
• Observe the 40km/hour speed zone around the school – it is there to protect our children
Kindy 2026 – Closes Friday 25th July
If you have a child born between 1st July 2021 to 30th June 2022, you are now eligible to enrol for Kindy in 2026.
Application forms can be collected from the front office. All applications are by appointment only and accepted between 9am and 2pm. Please call 6258 9350 to book.
Student Achievement
Seth Wong from Year 6 represented Australia as part of the National Select Team organised by the Australian Futsal Association, participating in the V Sport Cup in Spain.
Team Captain Appointment
Seth was honoured to be appointed team captain by Coach Renee Markham of the U12 team. This recognition reflects his strong leadership, positive attitude, and effective communication, both on and off the court.
On-Field Achievements
He contributed to the team’s success by scoring a goal in a 5–1 victory over C.D. Lope de Vega (Madrid, Spain), along with several assists during both pre-tournament and group stage matches.
Team Performance
The team finished third in their group and advanced to the Round of 16, where they were ultimately defeated by A.D.C. Lugo Sala of Spain.
Senudi (MAC) Shines Across Music, Chess, and Public Speaking!
Senudi has had an incredible few months, showcasing her passion and talent across three very different fields – music, chess, and public speaking.
She was selected for the prestigious One Big Voice Studio Choir Program, one of Western Australia’s most elite vocal opportunities for juniors. The Studio Choir brings together outstanding young singers to receive advanced training in vocal technique, harmony, and performance. Students also participate in professional studio recordings, producing the songs used by over 8,000 schoolchildren each week as part of the broader One Big Voice program. Selection is highly competitive, requiring individual auditions where students are assessed on pitch, tone, and musicality. Senudi will perform with the Studio Choir at the One Big Voice 2025 concert this August. She extends her heartfelt thanks to Ms. Connelly and the amazing Caladenia music teachers for their continued encouragement and guidance.
During the April holidays, Senudi competed in the WA Junior Allegro Chess Championship, where she achieved a double victory – winning both the Under 12 Open Champion and the Under 12 Girls Champion titles. She followed this with another triumph at the WA Junior Rapid Play Championship, securing the Under 12 Girls title. These achievements are part of a consistent record of strong performances over the past 12 months, which led to her invitation to the inaugural WA Junior Training Squad. In this program, WA’s top chess players, coaches, and mentors work with selected junior players to prepare them for the Australian Junior Chess Championships 2026.
On 21st and 22nd June, Senudi took part in Leo’s Li’l Speechmasters – Season 10, an international public speaking competition run by the Gavel Club of Amanora in India. Competing in the 10 – 12 age categories, she advanced from hundreds of recorded speech submissions to become one of the 10 finalists. She delivered her semifinal speech on 21st June on a topic nominated by the organisers. After being selected as a finalist, Senudi was given less than 24 hours to prepare a brand-new speech, again on a topic set by the organisers, for the final round, held on 22nd June. Senudi delivered her speech with confidence and flair, demonstrating her ability to perform under pressure on a global stage.
Senudi’s achievements across music, chess, and public speaking reflect her remarkable dedication, talent, and love of learning. Whether it’s on stage, at the chessboard, or behind a microphone, she continues to make the Caladenia proud. Congratulations, Senudi!
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
Parliament House
The Year 6 Student Executive team had the privilege of being invited to visit Parliament House this week by Mr Terry Healy MLA. The students enjoyed a tour of Parliament House and relished the opportunity to sit in the Legislative Assembly (the lower house of the Parliament) and the Legislative Council (the upper house of the Parliament). After the tour, the team enjoyed a working lunch with Mr Healy and the Hon Klara Andric MLC in the Parliament House Dining Room, where they discussed matters affecting our school and community. The Student Executive team thoroughly enjoyed the day, and we look forward to welcoming Mr Healy back to Caladenia later this year.
Interschool Winter Carnival
Winter Carnival Success!
On Friday 27th June, our Year 5 and 6 students participated in the Winter Carnival, enjoying perfect weather and plenty of spirited competition across AFL, Soccer, League Tag, and Netball. Caladenia shone brightly, finishing as the overall winning school across all sports and divisions! Highlights included 1st place in B Division Soccer and League Tag A Division, along with strong performances in Netball (1st in B Division, 2nd in C, and 3rd in A) and 3rd place in AFL. Our students represented the school with outstanding sportsmanship, teamwork, respect, and effort. A huge thank you to our dedicated staff, supportive parents, and hardworking umpires who helped make the day a success!
Class News
Year 2 Room 24 – Miss Tai
In our class, we have been learning Location in Mathematics. We can use co-ordinates accurately to identify position – North, South, East and West. Room 24 students are able to read maps and follow directions to locate or describe the position of objects. The Year 2’s also used the Dash and Dot robots and iPad to get Dash safely from the start to finish on the grids. Look at all the amazing experiences we’ve had this week! 
Year 3 Room 25 – Miss Rowe
Students in Room 25 have been diving into the world of animal information reports, exploring fascinating facts about creatures from all over the globe. They’ve been learning how to organize their research into clear sections, including habitat, diet, and interesting facts. Students are now drafting their own reports to share the interesting information that they’ve discovered.
Year 3 Room 27 – Mr Papineau
This term in Room 27, students have been diving into the fascinating world of food and fibre production through our Design Technology unit. Our focus has been on one everyday staple – eggs – and students have explored the journey from farm to table.
Through hands-on activities and class discussions, students learned how eggs are produced, processed, and distributed. We looked closely at the role of farmers, ethical animal care, and sustainability in food production.
To bring their learning to life, students put their creativity and problem-solving skills to the test by designing and building their own chicken pens, using recycled materials from home. It was fantastic to see their designs come together.
MAC Class Room 19 -Mrs Smith
Room 19’s Fremantle Prison Excursion – Exploring the Past Behind Bar
After a wonderful term full of projects and integrated curriculum tasks, the students of Room
19, stepped back in time with a visit to Fremantle Prison. Guided by our enthusiastic tour leader,
Chris, we wandered through the eerie corridors and peered into the tiny cells once occupied by
convicts, including the infamous escape artist Moondyne Joe. Students were intrigued to
discover the harsh conditions of prison life—especially the lack of toilets and showers, which
sparked plenty of questions (and some wrinkled noses!). One student was so captivated by this
discovery that he presented a fascinating follow-up talk in class this week, diving deeper into
the history of the toilet! It was a memorable and eye-opening excursion that brought history to
life in a way no textbook ever could!
Willetton Basketball Stadium
School Holiday Camps
First Week
Monday 7th – Friday 11th July 2025
9 years and under [ eg minimum 6 yrs ]
[ 9.00am – 3.30pm daily ]
Second Week
Monday 14th – Friday 18th July 2025
9 years and over
[ 9.00am – 3.30pm daily ]
Please visit www.willettonbasketball.com.au via the ‘’ Program ‘’ page where you will find Holiday Camps
Canning Arts Group is a not-for-profit, community-driven organisation that has served Perth for over 50 years, offering high-quality art education for all ages. We provide a welcoming space to explore pottery, painting, and various crafts, fostering creativity and artistic growth.
We’re excited to announce our new adult classes for Term 3, 2025:
• Building Your Acrylic Techniques: Mondays, 12:30 – 2:30 PM
• Introduction To Drawing: Wednesdays, 12:30 – 2:30 PM
• Acrylic Painting, Exploring Emotions & Techniques of Modern Masters: Fridays, 12:30 – 2:30 PM
• Introduction to Ceramic Sculptures: Saturdays, 9:30 AM – 12:30 PM
We’re excited to announce our new children’s class for Term 3, 2025:
• Classical Painting (7+ years old): Fridays, 4:00 – 5:30 pm
Enrolment are now open.
To see our full program list and prices, visit www.canningartswa.org.au, with classes running from 28 July 2025 to 20 September 2025 (8 Weeks).
We look forward to welcoming you to our creative community!
