1. education
2. school

From the Principal’s Desk
How wonderful to belong to a school community who
gives generously and shows care and compassion to
others. The Burrendah community has shown a genuine
willingness to see beyond our own immediate needs
and reach out to others. On Friday 12th June I once again
invite our school to reach out to others in our
community and embrace ‘Pirate Day Friday’.
On ‘Pirate Day Friday’ we will join with over 80 000
children dressing up as pirates to raise awareness of the
effects of brain cancer on children, their families and
the wider community as a whole. Currently one of our
students in Pre Primary Sophie Brooks and her family
are facing the challenges associated with Sophie’s brain
cancer. On ‘Pirate Day Friday’ and in the days leading
up to the Friday we will endeavour to raise awareness
and also raise funds for research into the prevention and
cure of childhood brain tumours. I am urging parents
and students to embrace this day by dressing up as a
pirate, wearing a patch and donating to this cause.
The Brooks
family show
off their eye
patches for
Pirate Day
Friday
Together we can show our support to the Brooks
family and the many other families in the same
situation.
Follow the link below, to read their story on the
Department of Educations web page. http://
www.education.wa.edu.au/home/detcms/publiceducation/content/about-us/news/past-stories/eventsand-initiatives/2015/may/swashbuckling-fun-could-lead
-to-a-cancer-cure.en?cat-id=15789255 or visit the Pirate
Day Friday website for further information, just follow
this link http://www.piratedayfriday.com/
Finally I would like to share with the parent community
some feedback we have received from the bus drivers in
relation to our students’ behaviour on the buses going
to and from the swimming pool. The bus drivers have
commented that the children from our school are the
most well behaved, respectful group of students they
have transported. They acknowledged the students’
manners and respectful conversations and expressed
their appreciation to all staff involved. Student
behaviour is greatly influenced by their school
community, however, the school can only build on the
values instilled by the children’s parents and extended
family.
I would like to acknowledge and thank the parent
community for their commitment to their role as
mentors and role models for your children. You are
doing an awesome job and this is often reflected in the
feedback we receive from the wider community.
Jayne Ebsworthy
28th May 2015
School Board Notes
Board Meeting 3 – Tues 5 May 2015
The Board is looking forward to our school’s first Independent Public School Review scheduled for the
second week in June. Our Board meeting earlier this month was thus spent reviewing the extensive
documentation that has been prepared over the past year to enable assessment of our school’s
performance against the targets and key areas of focus laid out in Burrendah Primary School’s Business
Plan. We also spent time reviewing a few areas of the Business Plan which School Board members wanted
to familiarize themselves in greater depth in preparation for the IPS review. These areas were: parent
education programs within the EAL/D program (English as an Additional Language or Dialect), building
parent engagement and involvement in school programs (such as book week and baby days), and
professional learning of staff.
With respect to the upcoming Independent Public School Review, I’m sure all members of the School Board
share my amazement and admiration for the extraordinary amount of work that has gone into providing the
documentation required for the review. I’m sure members of the Board also share a sense of pride and
accomplishment at how well the school is doing. A lot of work went into creating the Business Plan initially.
It is very rewarding to look back now and reflect on how well it fits Burrendah Primary School and its quite
unique community. Scholastic results of students together with such positive feedback from teachers,
students and their parents are great evidence that our first term as an Independent Public School has been
a success. I’m sure this will be reflected in the feedback we receive through the Review process.
After the Review, the Board will begin laying the groundwork for our next term as an Independent Public
School. This includes creating a new Business Plan for the school as well as planning for changes in
membership to the School Board as some of our original members come to the end of their terms. We
invite parents and members of the community to consider nominating to join the Board later this year. It is
an interesting, enlightening and rewarding role that makes a difference to staff and students as well as the
future direction of our school.
Barb Frey
Board Chair
Swimming lessons are cancelled at Riverton
Leisureplex tomorrow Thursday 28th May
due to works at the centre, swimming lessons
will resume on Friday 29th May as normal.
News from the Science Lab
Our students have been excited this week with the prospect of
increasing the variety of future fresh produce our school gardens
may provide. Many thanks to the Helmer family for donating two
plums trees and an apple tree. Thanks also go to our school
gardener Anthony for collecting the trees from the Helmer’s house.
The two plum trees are planted near the gazebo behind room 12.
Students from Miss Smith’s class have taken on the role of watering
the plum trees. The apple tree has been planted outside the
science lab. In the coming weeks we will plant another apple tree in
this location.
Our garden club continues our sustainable practices by fertilising
our vegetables with “worm wee” provided by the worm farms Mrs
Paxton’s class is managing. We are also able to water our
vegetable gardens with water collected in the water tanks behind
the lab.
In the lab we continue to work on chemical science. Some of the
activities from this fortnight have been - Year 2 have been making their
own paint and then testing it out, year 1 have been constructing
towers from spaghetti and marshmallows, and year 5 have been trying
to identify mystery liquids.
Sherryl Crouch
Science Specialist
Please remember to help us fundraise for our school by putting your old clothes in a
bag and placing them in our E’Co clothes bin just outside room 21.
SWIMMING LESSONS
All students from pre primary to year 6 have participated in
swimming lessons at the Riverton Leisureplex this fortnight. Each
student is assessed and placed in the development stage suitable
for their current skills. The instructors assist each child to
demonstrate the criteria required for them to achieve their next
swimming stage.
Our students have displayed great cooperation and resilience in
their daily journey to the pool. Many community members have
praised the behaviour of our students.
Thank you to the parents for your
support in the preparing your child for
their lessons.
Brian Crouch
Senior Phys Ed
Burrendah Primary School
Kindergarten
Nature Space
Coming soon!
1976 - 2016
Next year, Burrendah Primary will be
celebrating its 40th Year Anniversary.
A community facebook page has been
set up to promote this anniversary year
and the associated events. If you know
any past students from Burrendah
please share this link to them to help
find the page.
Web: https://www.facebook.com/
groups/burrendahps40thanniversary/
An email and letter requesting your support in
creating a kindergarten play space that allows more
opportunity for creative play in a more natural
environment will soon be sent to all parents in our
school. With the support of the P&C and their
planned ‘busy bees’ we are hoping to create this play
space. However, we need the support of parents with
the necessary skills, trade contacts and materials.
We look forward to your help with this very special
project. These pictures show some of the play
stations we hope to create.
Canning Council
'CoMOOnity Event!'
for WA Day
Monday 1st June
11:00-3:00pm
Kent St Weir, Wilson
Bring the family down to enjoy and celebrate all things WA. Discover a
range of exhibits, stalls, enjoy delicious food and drinks for purchase
or bring your own picnic.
You can have your photo taken with our Maali the Burrendah Cow and
complete a colour-in.
Danielle Eitzen Visual Arts Specialist
Our Children
Our Communities
Our Future
Playing our part to build a national picture of child health
In 2015, our school, along with thousands of others across the country will participate in the third
Australian Early Development Census (AEDC).
The AEDC measures five key areas of development in children during their first year of full-time
school to build a national picture of health and wellbeing. Since 2009, the census results have helped
communities, schools and governments plan services and target support for children and families.
In communities across the country, census results have helped communities to plan new playgrounds
and parental services; schools are seeing improved student performance through new literacy
programmes; and governments are using the results as evidence to develop better policies for
children.
Participation in the AEDC is voluntary. Parents of all pre primary children have received information
about the census.
To find out more about the census and how
communities are using the data to help children and
families visit the AEDC website www.aedc.gov.au
Auditions for 23rd June – High Tea Fundraiser:
If your child would like to play a piano solo or an instrumental solo / duet / trio at the High
Tea Fundraiser on the 23rd of June, you will need to fill an Audition form and hand it back
to me by Wednesday the 3rd of June. The audition form can be found in this Newsletter
and will be available at the office and the Music room. Please note that this is not a formal
concert. We will simply be providing background music for the event. This is a wonderful
opportunity for our students to perform in a very relaxed and non-threatening
environment.
Auditions will be held in week 8 and children will be notified of their audition time on
Friday 5th June (week 7). All levels are welcome, beginners through to more experienced
players. I will be looking for students who can play their piece(s) fluently and accurately so that it is a polished performance.
Commitment to SIM Ensembles: If your child is receiving music lessons at Burrendah as part of the SIM program, they are
expected to attend ensemble rehearsals for Wind Band and String Orchestra. Attendance at these ensembles is compulsory
(not optional) as part of your child’s ongoing musical education. It is also an important component of the commitment that you
and your child have made to this program.
There has been a number of unexplained absences from certain children on a regular basis and this is unacceptable. Unless they
are absent from school due to illness, a note is required from a parent to excuse a child from the occasional rehearsal.
Thank you to all music students for practising hard and making the effort to turn up to your ensemble rehearsals and choir on
time. It makes such a difference when we can begin our rehearsals on time and you have been making some amazing
progress.
Jenny Coleman
Music Specialist
Culture Club
Students in Culture Club learned about the Vikings, who lived in Scandinavia
from 800-1000A.D. The Vikings were skilled merchants, craftsmen and
explorers, although in Europe they were named pirates because of their
violent behaviour. They travelled far and wide in their ships, including as far
as North America. Vikings spoke a language called Old Norse. The letters
were called Runes, which were sometimes carved in rocks. Students played
a Viking game called KUBB. It comes from the Swedish island of Gotland,
and was first played to celebrate the Viking’s victory in a battle at Assandun
in 1016. Kubb is a great family game for the whole family! Teams take turns
to attack the soldiers (wooden blocks called Kubbs) on their opponent's side
of the battlefield by throwing batons in an attempt to knock as many down
as they can. Before the King block can be 'captured', all Kubbs on your
opponent's side must first be knocked down. Mrs Jansson has very kindly
donated a Kubb game to Burrendah, so hopefully all students will have the
opportunity to play the game! We finished off with delicious traditional
Swedish cinnamon buns.
Brain Cancer
Facts

Brain cancer is the most common form of
tumours in children.

Each year more than 620 children in Australia
are diagnosed with cancer.

Childhood brain tumours kills more children
each year than any other disease in Australia

Treatment for childhood brain cancer may
involve surgery, chemotherapy, and
radiotherapy

Treatment can result in substantial and long
term side effects. This is because the brain is
still developing

The survival rates for brain cancers vary widely
across cancer types from 10% to 90%. These
statistics, unlike those from childhood
leukaemia, have not shown any substanstial
improvement over the past 30 years

By supporting Pirate Day Friday we going to
help change some if not all the above facts.
As referred to in our previous school
newsletters and as recommended by
our School Board our Principal will be
responding to comments and questions
from our 2014 Parent Survey.
Survey Response : The school assemblies are too long. Can we
please have a junior and a senior assembly to reduce the length of
the assembly so parents don’t have to wait so long to see their child
get a merit certificate or perform ?
Mrs Ebsworthy’s Response:
Staff are very aware of the
need to monitor the length of the assembly due to parents’ work
commitments and we value highly the effort parents make to attend
these assemblies. However, the staff feel it is important for our
school community to come together as one and to feel a sense of
belonging to the ‘whole school’. Staff are also conscious of the
need to provide strong role models for our younger students and for
younger students to have the opportunity to watch older students
taking part in these assemblies. There is also the issue of siblings
wishing to be present when their siblings receive a merit certificate
or perform in an item. This would not be possible if we had two
assemblies. With decreased student numbers this year due to our
Year 7s going to secondary school we feel the community assembly
time is not too excessive and we aim to be finished no later than
9.30am. Thank you to those parents who take the time to give
feedback about our community assemblies and we ask the
community to continue to provide us with that feedback and any
suggestions you may have.
Maths Challenge 3 You may be able to work them out yourself or you can talk about them
and ask for help. Don’t just ask for the answer! Write your name, room number and your
answer(s) clearly on a slip of paper and post it in the labelled box in the library. The first
correct entry drawn from each box at the faction assembly wins a prize.
Years K - 3 Think carefully and perhaps draw a picture to help. Starting with an
empty bucket, what happens first?

2/3 full

¼ empty

½ full

¾ empty
Years 4 - 6
What are they worth?
The sum of each row is on the right.
Can you work out what each shape
is worth and the total of each column?
HATS
Great to see so many
students
wearing
our
uniform hats!
A reminder to parents that
if your child does not have
a uniform hat then they
should wear a navy blue
hat.
Unfortunately we have far
too many children wearing
hats with a range of
colours and logos.
We are proud of
our
school uniform and the
sense of pride it evokes.
Please support us as we
endeavour to maintain a
high standard in regards
to our school uniform.
Please make sure bikes and
scooters are SAFE and SECURE
The graduating students of previous years have
provided us with some quality bike racks.
It is great to see so many students riding their
bikes or scooters to school. However, we remind
parents that these bikes and scooters must be
locked at all times.
We can’t monitor these bike racks through the
school day and unfortunately we do have other
adults and older students move through our
school at times.
To avoid the disappointment of having your child's
bike or scooter stolen please provide your child
with a lock to secure their bike in the bike racks.
HELP NEEDED
Burrendah Primary School will be hosting a visit by a
group of Japanese students from the 3rd August to the 10th
August and we are currently looking for families who
would be willing to host one or two students during their
visit. Families will be paid $30 per night per student for
hosting. If you are interested in hosting or would like
more information please contact Cathy Rinehart on 0418
736 045 or email [email protected]
EAL
PARENT NETWORK GROUP
Come and join us, FRIDAY, 29th MAY, in the EAL
Room. We will be learning more about the
Burrendah Friendly Families Program.
The focus will continue to be on the most effective
ways to communicate with your child/ren.
We will be practising Active Listening skills to help
us find out what your child is REALLY feeling
and what is going on in their lives. This is a really
valuable skill for us all to learn!
We encourage you to come along
and bring a friend.
Dates for Term 2
Friday 29 May
Friday 12 June
Friday 26 June
1st June
WA Day Public Holiday
12th June
Pirate Day Fundraiser
12th June
Year 5 & 6 Interschool Sport
18th June
Faction Cross Country -Years 3-6
19th June
Rooms 3 and 4 Assembly
19th June
Year 5 & 6 Interschool Sport
23rd June
P&C High Tea
26th June
Semester One Reports go home
26th June
Year 5 & 6 Interschool Sport
30th June
Parent /Teacher Interviews
- 12pm School Closure