NPPS Newsletter November 2024

Principal's Message

As we enter the final stretch of the school year with just four weeks to go, the excitement and buzz around North Perth Primary School is palpable. This newsletter is packed with important updates, reflections, and celebrations as we prepare to wrap up 2024 and plan for 2025. From progress on key projects like the Sensory Room and the Heart of the School initiative to reminders about end-of-year events and a sneak peek into plans for 2025. I encourage you to take the time to read through and stay informed about all the wonderful things happening in our school community as we finish the year strong.

Night of Celebration

Our Night of Celebration is fast approaching. Join us on Wednesday 27 November for a fantastic evening that showcases the talents of our students and celebrates our school community. Gates open at 5:00 pm with food available to purchase (see below), and the concert will begin at 6:15 pm. Don’t forget to cast your vote for the incoming school board nominees while you’re there.

Planning for 2025

Class Structure

As our school continues to grow, we are excited to share plans for 2025. The proposed class structure has been shared with staff and the School Board for their input, taking into account important factors such as enrolment numbers, recommended class sizes, funding, staffing costs, and available physical spaces. Please see the proposed timetable below.

Class Placements

A big thank you to parents for submitting information to assist in class placements, prior to the closing date. Your input is helpful for teachers when making informed decisions about class placements. Please note that class lists for Pre-Primary to Year 6 will be released in late January, as enrolment numbers and class structure remain uncertain.

Please click the link below to see the Class Placement Guidelines which includes FAQs and information about composite classes.

Class Placement Guidelines

Pre-Primary Changes in 2025

From 2025, Pre-Primary students will transition to the specialist teachers' timetable, offering them access to all our specialist classes—Physical Education, Visual Art, Music, Science, and Technologies. These classes enrich the learning experience and provide valuable opportunities for skill development and exploration. Alongside this change, Pre-Primary students will adopt the same start and finish times as Years 1–6, with school starting at 8:50am and finishing at 3:00pm (doors open at 8:35am). Kindy start and finish times will remain unchanged for 2025.

Composite Classes

Composite classes will remain part of our structure, which is common practice in nearly every public school. These classes provide unique opportunities for peer learning, mentoring, and collaboration between different year levels. For more information, including FAQs on composite classes, please follow the Class Placement Guidelines in the link above.

We look forward to working together to ensure a successful year for all students in 2025.

Grounds Update

Our school grounds continue to evolve with exciting improvements and projects well underway:

Sensory Room: Progress is steady as we prepare this new space for 2025. The recent installation of new carpet and a fresh coat of paint are the first steps toward creating an environment where students can thrive. See below for more details.

Demountable Classroom: We are pleased to confirm that the project is on track to be ready and open for Day 1 of the 2025 school year. The classroom has been approved, and works will begin as early as next week. You will receive updates via Connect as the building progresses, as it will impact access along Olive Street.

Extra Security Cameras: New cameras have been installed at the Early Childhood playground and entrance, as well as the Angove Street entrance. These additions enhance the safety and security of our students and staff.

Room 12 Ramp: The ramp has been rebuilt to provide improved access, combining functionality with an upgraded aesthetic that complements our school grounds.

Heart of the School Project: The concept design for this exciting initiative is nearly complete. We can’t wait to share it with the community at our upcoming Night of Celebration. Keep an eye out.

Thank you for your ongoing support as we work to make North Perth Primary School a welcoming, safe, and inspiring environment for all.

Staffing Updates for 2025

Staffing Updates for 2025

We are happy to share some important staffing updates as we prepare for the 2025 school year.

Firstly, we wish to inform you that Elise Cornish will remain in London and will not be returning to North Perth Primary School. While we will miss her presence at the school, we wish her all the best as she continues her journey overseas.

We are delighted to announce that Olivia Egan, Katherine Pirone and Sarah Lee will continue in their roles as teachers at North Perth Primary School next year. Olivia, Katherine and Sarah have been invaluable members of our team in 2024, and we look forward to their continued contributions to the school.

Congratulations to Chris Dombrowsky on securing a permanent teaching position at Coolbinia Primary School. Achieving permanency has been a key goal for Chris, and while we are sad to see him leave the North Perth team at the end of the year, we are incredibly proud of this achievement. We wish Chris every success in his future teaching endeavours and look forward to connecting with him at future Mount Lawley Network events.

As announced at the assembly last Friday, Sarah Hanlon our Art Teacher will be talking Long Service Leave for the remainder of 2025 returning at the commencement of Term 2, 2025. In her absence Julie Kay-Darby will be teaching art.

Finally, we are delighted to announce that Andrea Hantke has been awarded a permanent teaching position at North Perth Primary School through our 2024 teaching pool process. Congratulations, Andrea, on this well-deserved achievement.

We are grateful for the dedication and hard work of all our staff and are excited for what 2025 will bring.

Lunch with the Principal

Andrew Streeton - Principal

Exciting Progress on our Sensory Room

After a long journey of planning, designing, and working together, we are excited to share that the North Perth Primary School Sensory Room is nearly complete. This project would not have been possible without the dedication of our parent volunteers, Rosie Bates and Alex Pines, who have given countless hours to make this vision a reality. We also extend our thanks to Juliana Wilks, one of our school parents (and Occupational Therapist), who will be presenting to staff in 2025 to ensure the space is used to its full potential. This room promises to be a transformative addition to our school, offering students a place to regulate, refocus, and thrive. Read on to learn more about this wonderful new resource.

What is a Sensory Room?

A sensory room, also sometimes called a zen zone, chill zone, regulation space, or calming corner, is a safe and quiet area where a person can go to regulate when they are feeling overwhelmed.

Important Notes for Adults

• There are no “good” or “bad” feelings, all feelings are important signals to us about what we are experiencing.
• Regulation is important so our emotions don’t overtake us, and our behaviour does not cause harm to ourselves or others.
• A chill zone or calming area should never be used as a threat, punishment, or rejection of a child.
• It is intended to provide a calm, quiet space for a child to seek support and develop emotional self-regulation skills.

Teaching Opportunities

Everyone experiences a wide range of emotions. Our feelings are not inherently good or bad, they are signals from our bodies communicating something important, therefore it’s important we learn to listen to our bodies and what they are telling us. This is why it’s also imperative we do not inadvertently send the message to children that certain feelings are acceptable and others are not.

Using regulation spaces effectively means:

• Teaching our students about the space, about the different options available, and how to use them.
• Children cannot learn to effectively self-regulate until they’ve experienced co-regulation, and until they’ve been taught skills and strategies for doing so.
• Validating the child’s experiences.
• Helping the child notice and identify the feelings in their body associated with different emotions.
• Providing a wide range of tools and strategies so students can explore and experiment to find which ones work best for them.
• Offering empathy, comfort, and co-regulation, rather than punishment, consequences, and rejection.
• They are not a time-out space. An adult can offer, asking if the child would like to try one of the options available, but it must always be the student’s choice.
• Adults should role-model self-regulation strategies for the children, as this is one of the most effective ways children can learn how to use these skills for themselves.

Are You Leaving Us?

If your child will be moving to a different primary school and will no longer be attending NPPS in 2025, please email Corrina Cook, at Corrina.Cook@education.wa.edu.au, advising which school they will be attending in 2025. This is important information that helps us plan classes for 2025.

Positive Behaviour Support Update

PBS Day - Celebrating Our School Values!

Get ready for an exciting day on Wednesday, 11 November, as we come together for PBS Day! We’ll be celebrating and focusing on our four core values: Respect, Responsibility, Resilience, and Inclusivity. Students will engage in fun, collaborative activities that bring each of these values to life, building teamwork and community spirit.

To top off the day, we’ll be celebrating with an awesome Water Play reward—a well-deserved treat for everyone’s hard work this term! It’s going to be a fantastic day filled with learning, laughter, and celebration. Let’s make it unforgettable!

From the Art Room...

Our amazing Art Teacher, Mrs Hanlon, was the driving force behind the 125th Anniversary Sculpture at the entrance on the Angove Street side of the school. Our students designed and built the sculpture with the guidance of our artist in residence, Jodie Davidson. Jodie has put together this little video showing the processes involved.

Mount Hawthorn Area Band Performance

On 24 October, we were delighted to host the Mount Hawthorn Area Band, who performed for our Year 1 to 6 students. It was an inspiring experience to watch the talented band members, including our own Leo, Adam, and Thomas, who represent North Perth Primary alongside students from Kyilla, Maylands Peninsula, Mount Hawthorn, and Jolimont Primary Schools.

The performance was an inspiring example of teamwork, dedication, and musical growth, and our students thoroughly enjoyed seeing their peers shine on stage. Congratulations to everyone who made this event a success!