ROSSMOYNE REFLECTIONS NEWSLETTER NO. 10 Friday 17th October 2014 Virtue of the Month for October– Self-discipline Social Skills - Create routines for yourself; Speak and act calmly when upset Next newsletter - Friday 14th November Congratulations to Louisa and Louis Lok on achieving distinctions in the recent ICAS mathematics competition. PRINCIPAL’S MESSAGE Welcome back form what I hope was a refreshing and rejuvenating break form the normal school routine. I do hope families had an opportunity to do some fun family things over the break. As we enter term four we officially welcome Mrs Sabrina Blankley to the position of registrar for this term whilst Mrs Macgregor is on long service leave. The position for 2015 and beyond has been advertised on the Jobs WA website and we hope to conclude this selection process by the middle of November. A significant focus for us this term will be the transition to becoming an Independent Public School. This wont see much obvious change to the school as IPS does not mean wholesale changes in any way. What it does mean is that we have a little more control of our own destiny particularly with respect to staffing and long term planning. The transition to a school board is one of those aspects and I will be addressing this at a combined P & C and School Council meeting on Monday 27th October. At the same time as we transition to IPS we are planning for 2015 . Class structures along with class lists will be a focus but unlikely to be completed with any certainty until the beginning of next year due to the ongoing unpredictability of enrolments. Our www.rossmoyneps.wa.edu.au 1 processes for class placements can be found in the School Information Booklet on our website. Parents are able to provide any relevant information for consideration by putting that to me in writing before Friday 31st October. I reiterate that requesting to have or not have particular teachers is not a consideration and such requests will be respectfully returned. Next Monday Personal Items Lists [Booklists] for 2015 will be sent home along with information about contributions and charges for next year. Please note the return dates for pick-up, delivery and online ordering. By ordering early you can avoid the last minute rush that often can be stressful with a few days before school starts. Contributions and charges are not payable until after invoices are issued in February 2015. Can I also stress the urgency of 2015 year 5 students ordering their MacBooks before October 31st to ensure delivery before the end o the year. This term we have a guest teacher from China assisting Mrs Foo. Ms XianPing Yang will be in the school on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and we welcome her and than the Confucius Institute for their assistance in the provision of this support. Ms Yang is a highly qualified teacher in China and will I am sure SCHOOLWATCH: 1800 177 777 enhance our program. I will be taking a short period of leave between November17th and November 27th this term and in my absence Mr Wilson and Mrs Ashby will be your contacts. For your information the term dates for 2015 for students are as follows: Semester 1 Term 1 Monday February 2nd – Thursday April 2nd Term 2 Tuesday April 21st – Friday July 3rd Semester 2 Term 3 Tuesday July 21st – Friday September 25th Term 4 Tuesday October 13th – Thursday December 17th Can I take this opportunity to remind parents that I am not able to authorise absences from school for holidays outside the holiday period and make a special request to ask that all students return to school on time at the commencement of 2015. The start of the school year is critical to student learning and if you are planning to be away over the holidays please ensure that you plan so that students return to school on Monday February 2nd. Your cooperation in this matter will be appreciated. Geoff Anderson Principal [email protected] WHAT’S ON IN SPORT TERM 4? Interschool Athletics Carnival [Term 3 Week 10] Outright Shield Meritorious Shield Team Games Shield 1st Rossmoyne 1st Oberthur 1st Rossmoyne 2nd Oberthur 2nd Bullcreek 2nd Oberthur 3rd Banskia Park 3rd Rossmoyne 3rd Banksia Park 4th Riverton 4th Banskia Park 4th Shelley 5th Bullcreek 5th Riverton 5th Bull Creek 6th Shelley 6th Shelley 6th Riverton 7th Parkwood 7th Parkwood 7th Parkwood Junior Girl Runner Up Champion - Georgia Cleaver (Ross) Year 4 Girl Runner Up Champion - Phoebe Lewis (Ross) Year 4 Boy Runner Up Champion - Cooper Rich (Ross) Year 5 Girl Runner Up Champions - Alira Malan and Isabelle Weir (Both Ross) Year 6 Boy Runner Up Champion - Keanu Haddow (Ross) Year 7 Boy Champion - Jonathon Cheng (Ross) Triathlon. Triathlon WA will hold a clinic for the Year 6 & 7 classes during their physical education lessons on Tuesday 21st Oct. The students will participate in a running and cycling event. Inter School Cricket. On Friday afternoons some Year 6 & 7 students will be selected to train for the boys and girls I/S cricket teams. The T 20 cricket carnival will be held at Riverton Primary school on Friday 21st November. Champion Schools Basketball Tournament. Following the success of our basketball teams in the Willetton Association Cup, our boys and mixed gender basketball teams have been invited to compete in the Champion Schools Basketball Tournament at the WA Basketball Centre on Wednesday 26th November. Training will commence shortly. Honour Certificates ROOM 8 Jannah ROOM 9 Gracie ROOM 11 Toran Eu Jin Maya Chey Briony Keith James Amelia Joshua Mia ROOM 20 Jie Xian Ngarongo Gui Minson Tyler ROOM 23 Khyan Martina Sam Joshua ROOM 26 ROOM 25 LOTE: 2 ROOM 17 ROOM 22 ROOM 24 Jood Maylee Ethan Melody Sandith ROOM 19 Ella Aidan ROOM 14 Riley ROOM 21 Trishul Althea ROOM 16 ROOM 18 Anya Israel ROOM 13 ROOM 15 Tommy ROOM 10 Alex Kane Hayley Fiona Rianna Gracie Saskia Tom Atreya Robin Sophie Ruichen 1:1 laptop Program Years 5 & 6 At Rossmoyne Primary School we are always exploring innovative, well researched teaching and learning strategies to assist our students to achieve better results and provide them with skills for future success. The current generation of students have been described as ‘digital natives’ because they are surrounded by and use technology in their everyday lives. Students in a 1:1 laptop environment will be learning the precise skills that will be essential for success in 21st century careers. No matter which field students eventually want to pursue, digital literacy will be the 'entry ticket' that will unlock opportunities for career and personal success. In addition to improving literacy and numeracy skills an overall summary of findings shows;  Laptop students spend more time engaging in collaborative work  Laptop students participate in more inquiry based instruction  Laptop students write more and of a higher quality  Laptops increase access to information and improve research and analytical skills  Laptop students better direct their own learning  Laptop students have greater reliance on active learning strategies  Laptop students readily engage in problem solving and critical thinking  Laptop students show deeper and more flexible uses of technology Laptop students spend more time doing homework on computers All of these findings are consistent with our school ‘Teaching and Learning Model’ (refer to the school’s website) and our emphasis on cooperative learning and explicit teaching of higher order thinking skills. Reminder: Parents of Year 4 students need to order their child’s MacBook by Friday 31st October, 2014 to ensure they receive it by the end of the school year. MacBooks can be ordered via the following website: https://portal.winaust.com.au/a/ rossmoyneprimaryschool Geoff Anderson Principal Greg Wilson Deputy Principal Lyn Kovacic IT Coordinator LOTE The following students have won prizes in various categories in the State Chinese Writing Competition 2014. 5th Place: Pavi Gullapalli – Year 4/ 5 (Non Chinese Speaking Background category) 1st Place: Sree Somangili – Year 6/7 (Non Chinese Speaking Background category) Excellence Award: James Pilkington - Year 4/5 (Non Chinese Speaking Background category 2nd Place: Lucy Shao – Year 3 (Chinese Speaking Background Level 1 category) 3 COMMUNITY NEWS Rossmoyne Swimming Club focuses on fun, fitness and confidence. We are located at Lynwood Senior High School 25m outdoor pool and have fully qualified swimming teachers. Training is available 3 days per week 4.30-6.00pm Monday, Wednesday and Friday. For more information about our summer season, please visit our website. www.rossmoyneswimming.myclub.org.au The Riverton Aquanauts Swimming Club Committee upcoming free club night event on the 24 October 2014. The Club has just reformed and we would love to encourage swimmers of all ages and levels to come along and participate in a fun night of swimming. Swimmers can compete in any of the events below: 25m Butterfly, 50m Butterfly, 50m Backstroke, 50m Breaststroke, 50m Freestyle, 100m Freestyle REMINDER about events at the community garden being developed on Glenmoy Avenue, Willetton adjacent to the school kitchen garden at Rostrata Primary School. Coming up .... Come and try day ALL welcome – just call in to look around Saturday 25 October, 12pm — 4pm Glenmoy Avenue Willetton (parking at Rostrata Ave shops) Spring in the garden workshops (gold coin donation - new and experienced gardeners welcome to come to one or all three ) Workshop info doc attached to this message - Friday 17, 24, 31 October from 9am-10.30am repeated on - Saturday 18, 25 Octoer, 1 November from 2pm-3.30pm Learn more about soil preparation, composting, organic pest control, worm farms and wicking beds! More details please phone Noni Walker on 0408 918 050 or email [email protected] You can also find out more from Willetton Community Garden on Facebook h ps://www.facebook.com/Wille onCommunityGarden Johnny Moran Karate teaches karate classes to children and adults in the local area.A special offer for the school’s students - 4 WEEKS FREE beginners karate lessons!Classes are held in the area after school and are a great way for children of all ages to learn self-defense in a fun and safe environment and for adults to get fit. Karate has many benefits which include confidence, respect, discipline and fitness.Call now to take advantage of this 4 week trial 0402 830 402. BIRD NESTING BOXES These bird nesting boxes were constructed by the River Rangers and now can be observed in the trees on the south western corner of the school thanks to Mr Critchley and Mr Wilson. 4