Newsletter

Year 2 Room 36 – Mrs Hamilton and Miss Tai 

Be the Reason Someone Smiles 

Kindness Day was Friday the 13th of November and since then, Room 36, have been doing various activities to encourage and foster kindness within our classroom and in our school. We have a kindness chart which records our lovely gestures we do for our friends and acts as a reminder to us to always be kind and treat others how we want to treated. In the last 20 days of school we have had a kindness challenge each day, where we uncover a challenge-which we always accept and try and do throughout the day. Along with these activities, we have done many reading activities which have lead to various discussions and tasks on kindness and friendships. We have read books such as, Ordinary Mary’s Extraordinary Deed, and learnt how a small sign of kindness can have a domino effect. 

Year 3 Room 24 – Miss Kell 

This term we have been learning about culture and diversity in our class; learning Diwali (making lanterns), Chinese New Year (Red packets), Australia Day, NAIDOC week and others. During NAIDOC week we made bracelets representing the 3 colours of the NAIDOC flag (Red= Land, Yellow= Sun, Black= People) In Science, we are learning about Hot and Cold, we had to hold a cold ice block. It was FREEEZING!! In Health, we have been learning about Kindness and how to prevent a wrinkled heart. We have been busy getting ready for year 4 and can’t wait for the challenge. 

Visual Art

School of Fish Collaboration project with Year 5 and Pre-Primary 

All students in Year 5 and Pre-Primary took part in a wonderful collaboration project this term in Visual Art called School of Fish. Each of the Pre-Primary classes came across to the Art Room to join the Year 5 students in their Art lesson and paired up to create some delightful patterned clay fish that will form a permanent wall display within the school grounds at the start of next year. The fish are currently being glazed by year 5 students and are looking superb in the elegant Caladenia school colour palette. 

Year five students thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to use their Visual Art knowledge, to coach their Pre-Primary partner and all successfully produced a 2D clay fish. The Pre-Primary students all worked extremely well in the Art room and are to be congratulated on their mature approach to working in a new environment and for listening extremely well to all instructions given by myself and their year 5 partners. 

This was a wonderful collaboration task, enjoyed by all those involved and I would like to Thank Paula Asplin, all the Pre-Primary staff and EA’s and both student year levels for taking the time out to be part of it. I’m looking forward to seeing it complete and up on the wall, so watch this space. See pictures below 

Miss Ewing 
Visual Art Specialist 

Parent Survey

In the coming few weeks we will be sending out a Parent survey via email for you to complete. 

The survey is your chance to provide feedback for the school. This feedback is used by the School and the School Board to ensure that we are meeting the needs of our community. 

Please look out for it in your email, check your junk folders and be sure to complete. Last time we completed the survey we only received 70 responses, this was from approximately 550 families. 

Your Move is a free program helping students get active by increasing walking, scooting and riding to school. Travel behaviour change experts work with Your Move Champions to tackle traffic issues and help provide practical ways to teach & develop sustainability at our school. 

Out of 150 schools participating, Caladenia is ranked the following on the Leader Board: 
Overall this year – 47 
Past 3 Months – 30 
This Month – This 19 

On 23 November, the RAC Road safety visited Pre Primary. Students participated in a workshop to teach them fundamental skills of crossing the road safely. Students learnt how to Stop, Look, Listen and Think when they are walking. They used a large road map to practice crossing the road in a variety of scenarios. This will help our Pre Primary’s to actively get to school by either walking, riding or scootering. 

Nicolle Wall 
Your Move School Champion 

P&C Raffles 

The Christmas Raffle and the Book List Raffle are closing soon.

The P&C are asking if Caladenia families could please donate toys, games, treats and other fun items. Collection tubs for donations are available in the front office. Also the last day for donations will be Wednesday, 9 December 2020.

Don’t miss out on your chance to WIN!!

Berri Fridays are back! 

Four Refreshing Tropical Flavours! 

Caladenia P&C are selling Berri Icy Poles at the school gates… 
$1 each today and next Friday, 11 December

Willetton Basketball Stadium – School Holiday Camp

Monday 21st Dec 2020 – Wednesday 23rd Dec 2020 
7 years & over 
[ 9.00am – 3.30pm daily] 

Monday 18th Jan 2021 – Friday 22nd Jan 2021 
9 years and under [ minimum 5 y/o] 

Monday 25th Jan 2021 – Friday 29th Jan 2021 
[ Tuesday 26th Jan not included – public holiday] 
9 years and over 
[ 9.00am – 3.30pm daily] 

Please visit www.willettontigers.com.au and go to the Junior Holiday Camp tab for link to book your child 

Year 6 Dental Information 

After primary school, the School Dental Service continues to provide free general and preventive dental care for all enrolled students Years 8-11. You can continue to go to the same Dental Therapy Centre you attended in primary school or contact a more suitable centre if required. If you have any queries you can contact Excelsior Dental Therapy Centre on 9256 4170 or email: excelsiordtc@dental.health.wa.gov.au

From the School Board Chair 

It is an honour and a privilege to present the Chair’s Report for Caladenia Primary School for 2020. This year has been a challenging year for us all in these unprecedented times. 

Firstly, I would like to express on behalf of the Caladenia School Board, P&C and school community our sincere and heartfelt gratitude to the staff of Caladenia as you have continued to provide a quality education and support our students during these difficult times. Thank you for your positivity and welcoming our students back to school in such a reassuring and caring way. 

Thank you to our Principal, Mr Edward Nastasi and your Leadership Team who have worked tirelessly throughout these ever changing and uncertain times. Throughout this period of change, our school has continued to have a heart and soul. We can be proud that Caladenia is ‘School of the Year’ and this is directly attributed to the professionalism, commitment and dedication of the staff of Caladenia. 

School Board Survey/External Review
On 4 December 2019, Caladenia was assessed by the Department of Education. This is an external review process and is part of Department of Education requirements. This is an external process after we have conducted our own self review of Caladenia. Staff, students and parents (including School Board members) were reviewed by the Panel. The Reviewers were:- 

• Rod Lowther, Director, Public School Review Directorate. 
• Matthew Osborne, Peer Reviewer, Leadership, Innovation and Strategy. 

Thirty-five staff, parents and students were interviewed on the day with a resounding level of confidence and support for the school’s directions, operation and sustainability for the future directions of the school. There were no negatives and many exemplary statements relating to the leadership, teaching and community quality relations that support the successful building of a high care/high achieving school like Caladenia. 

These comments are indeed exceptional it should be noted that other schools do not receive these types of comments. It is confirmation that our school is performing well. Thank you also goes to my fellow members of the School Board for all your efforts this year as special mention was also made in the review which is fantastic for a new Board. 

A critical role of the Board is to engage in future planning discussions to monitor school performance and to support and assist Caladenia Primary in reviewing budgets, policies, developing strategic targets including the Business Plan. The School Board works in partnership with the P&C who work hard to help build a strong community that responds to student’s needs. All discussions at the Board are overseen by the School’s Business Plan which provides a foundation and framework upon which we consider new initiatives and engage in discussion. 

In addition, the Board has reviewed school assessment data to monitor our school’s achievement. At Caladenia we are consistently producing high results as compared to both ‘like’ schools and the national average. Last year was no exception. 

School Board Planning Day
As a School Board we must understand, deliberate, analyse and endorse documentation that is crucial to the functions of the Caladenia school community. We work hard together to achieve some great milestones for our school. This involves planning, budgeting, monitoring performance and keeping our school community informed. The School Board Planning Day was on 25 November 2020. 

During this Day, the School Board reviewed the results and targets set by the school’s Business Plan. The School Board also reviewed the past 12 month Strategic Plan/Whole School Improvement Plan. 

Our existing policies were also be examined and reviewed in detail. The Business Plan for 2021-2023 is being prepared following the Board Planning Day. 

School Board Future Direction
The engagement with the school community has been a key focus for the School Board in 2019 and 2020. At Caladenia, we all share a common theme, and that is the education of our students. Our School Board wear their badges whilst in our school community and we encourage all parents to come and say hello and chat with us. I know I speak for all of us in saying that we feel privileged to be able to support the work of the wonderful school community at Caladenia Primary School, especially our school staff and their ongoing quest for excellence. 

Summary 
I am sure you are all aware that Caladenia won the Primary School of the Year at the WA Education Awards 2019 and we will hold this title for 2020 due to the pandemic. This award is for the whole school community and celebrates the dedication and commitment of the staff of Caladenia to the education of our students. Our Award is a whole school team effort and has been the culmination of many years of hard work, planning and consistency of quality teaching and standards for our school. As a school community, we can all celebrate this award as Caladenia is now being officially recognised as a school of excellence and for our achievements. 

Caladenia is truly fortunate to have such a dedicated team of staff who work tirelessly for the enrichment of our students. The staff have been amazingly adaptable in these uncertain times and have really banded together. On behalf of the School Board, the P&C and our school community, we would like to formally acknowledge their contribution and commitment. Thank you to Ted and your leadership team for your dedication to Caladenia. 

Thank you also to our P&C, a hardworking team, through the fund-raising efforts throughout the year has enabled Caladenia to purchase additional resources for our students. The School Board looks forward to working with you again next year to assist in making our school the wonderful place it is. 

As Chair of the School Board, I would also like to take this opportunity to formally thank my fellow Board members for their time and the valuable contribution they have made throughout the year. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to the values of our wonderful school. We acknowledge your expertise, and valuable contribution you bring to every meeting. 

Finally, Caladenia has a heart and is more than a school. 

Carole Veneris 
School Board Chair