Newsletter

Hi everyone and welcome to the last edition of our newsletter for term two 2021.

Reports

Next week your children will receive their semester one reports. For Kindy students this will be in the form of a Portfolio containing evidence and examples demonstrating progress across your child’s first semester of education. These reports are an important snapshot of how your child is performing academically, socially and behaviourally and are a part of a series of information sources for your child. Aligned to the reports is the opportunity to discuss your child’s progress with your classroom teacher. Education is a partnership between the child, the teacher and the family. At Aspiri Primary School we work very hard to maintain this partnership across all years as it is a really valuable opportunity to gain an in-depth understanding of aptitude and progress. I recommend that all parents and carers take the opportunity to meet with teachers as the opportunities arise.

COVID19 Restrictions

This week the State Government has announced a move to Phase 5 of the COVID Roadmap. At our school level, this is wonderful news as it means that we can open our doors widely to parents and community members once again. Parents may now attend school for assemblies, functions and classroom support and activities. The protective square meterage rules and capacity limits have been also been removed. Whilst we welcome the return to some sense of normality we must urge continued vigilance in relation to quality hygiene practices – including maintaining high levels of cleaning, no access to playground equipment before or after school, continued awareness of social distancing where practicable and an underlying continuing preparedness to pivot in the case of an outbreak.

Student Success

I would like to congratulate one of our students Mia Leinasars who has been selected to represent WA in the 12 Years and Under State School Girls AFL team. Congratulations Mia, this is a fine achievement and we are very proud of you. Good luck in the upcoming competitions.

Cross Country & Fun Run

Whilst on all things sport I would like to say good luck to all of our children at our school Cross Country event this Friday. I know everyone will give it their very best and represent their Houses with enthusiasm and great passion. I hope as many people as possible get along to support our students. See you there.

School Board

Our school Board held its term two meeting last week and some of the key agenda items addressed were COVID updates, an update on school finances and school governance and accountability, a review of our Homework policy, ongoing traffic issues around our school and whole school data summaries. The next Board meeting is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, September the 8th at 3 pm in the Staffroom. This will be our annual "Open" meeting and members of our school community are invited to attend to observe our Board in action. Watch out for more information on this in term three.

Term Dates

A reminder that, as this is an 11-week term, the final day of school for term two is next week, Friday the second of July.

Term three recommences for students on Monday 19 July, 2021.

Our term three School Development day is scheduled for Friday 3 September, 2021.

I hope everyone has a wonderful winter break and stays safe and well.

See you at the gate. 

Noel Morgan Principal

On Friday 2 July 2021, Aspiri Primary School is celebrating the end of a great semester with Crazy Sock Day! Wear you wild, weird or wackiest socks to school. They can be mismatched, colourful or creative, just make sure those socks look silly!

When: Friday, 2 July 2021, (Week 11).

Cost: Gold Coin donation (all proceeds will go towards the fundraising for the Year 6 Camp).

The Aspiri Environment Team is excited to announce that our school has received a grant for $1500 through the 2021 Woolworths Junior Landcare Grants. The money from the grant will enable us to expand our school recycling system to include soft plastics, resources to make beeswax wraps, and provide the student Green Team with vests. Part of our grant will also be spent on insect hotels and planting insect friendly shrubs, to encourage wildlife back to the school grounds. Look out for more news about this and how you can support the students’ efforts in Term 3. 

Science at Home – Making Invisible Ink

For thousands of years spies and generals have sent secret messages by using invisible ink.  This experiment will let you create a piece of paper that looks blank, but actually contains a secret message that can be brought back later on.

*Parent help is needed for one step in this experiment.

You will need:

- 1 lemon or lime

- 1 bowl

- 1 cotton bud

- 1 piece of white paper

- An iron and ironing board

Steps

1) Squeeze juice from half of a lemon into a bowl.

2) Add a teaspoon of water. Stir the juice and water together.

3) Dip a cotton bud into the lemon juice mixture and write your message on a piece of white paper.

4) Wait for the invisible ink to dry. When the ink dries, your message will completely disappear.

5) To bring the secret message back again the ink needs to be heated up.

* Ask for parents help with this step.

Parents can help with this step by using an iron and ironing board to heat the paper and ink until the message shows up on the paper again.

Try these other invisible inks and see which ones work best:

- milk

- white vinegar

- lemon

- lime

What is the science behind the ink reappearing?

The ink is invisible until the heat releases carbon out of the ink. The carbon then turns brown when it reacts with the air, this is through a process called oxidisation.

On Saturday 24 July, 2021 the Aspiri P&C will be holding a BBQ Sausage Sizzle fundraiser at Bunnings Harrisdale. This event is to support the Year 6 students to go on camp this year. The Sausage Sizzle will be from 8am till 4pm and requires Year 6 parent volunteers to help on the day. Without Year 6 parent help and support the event will be unable to go ahead.   

Make sure to pop down to Bunnings Harrisdale on Saturday 24 July, 2021 for a delicious Sausage Sizzle and to support the Year 6 Camp Fundraiser.  

The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program is one of the world’s most effective parenting programs. Developed by Clinical Psychologist Professor Matt Sanders and his colleagues at the University of Queensland, Triple P has been tested with thousands of families through ongoing research over more than 30 years!

Triple P is designed to give parents the skills they need to raise confident, healthy children and to build stronger family relationships. Research has shown it works across cultures, socio-economic groups and in many different family structures.

Triple P doesn’t tell people how to parent. Rather, it offers simple and practical strategies that parents can adapt to suit their own values, beliefs and needs. The benefits can be dramatic and long-lasting.

We have had fantastic attendance at the Triple P Seminar Series run in the Library by our School Psychologist this year with 59 families having already attended. Our latest Seminar Series was fully booked out! Due to the increasing demand and requests for sessions on specific topics we will be running the following additional sessions next term.

Fear-Less Managing Anxiety (suitable for parents of children aged 6-16 years)

-          Tuesday 3 August @ 8:50am-10:40am (Sold Out)

-          Tuesday 27 July @ 8.50am - 10.40am

Junior Seminar Series (suitable for parents of children aged 3-12 years) While designed as a series, parents can attend one, two or all three seminars.

-          Tuesday 10th August @ 8:50am-10:40am – The Power of Positive Parenting

-          Tuesday 17th August @ 8:50am-10:40am – Raising Confident Competent Children

-          Tuesday 24th August @ 8:50am-10:40am – Raising Resilient Children

Bookings are essential and numbers are currently capped for each seminar. Visit our school website https://aspirips.wa.edu.au/our-community/triple-p-program/ to register and for more information

Enrolments are now open for 2022. For those wishing to apply, please refer to enrolment information, details of required documentation, and Harrisdale SHS’s local intake area through our website. Appointments are required when submitting enrolment forms and are available 9:00am to 3:00pm, Monday to Wednesday and 10:00am to 12:00pm Thursday and Friday.

Harrisdale SHS Year 6-7 Transition Morning will be October 16th 2021. Only students who have been accepted will be invited to attend.

Please refer to: https://harrisdaleshs.wa.edu.au/new-students/enrolments

ENROLMENTS ARE DUE BY JULY 23 2021

If your child is interested in learning a musical instrument or singing then please collect an application form from the Administration Office or email the Perth Music Agency. Don't delay as places fill quickly and enrolments are now only accepted at the beginning of each term.

All queries are to be directed to the Perth Music Agency.