Dear Parents and Carers
It’s possible that this won’t be the last time I communicate you this week, but let’s hope for the best and assume that it is.
I’d just like to confirm that as of today (Tuesday), parents and carers are welcome to drop off and collect their child/children from school. Our Department, on the advice of Health WA and the Chief Health Officer, simply request that all adults wear masks (outside as well as inside now) and continue to ‘socially distance’. Visitors will not be on the school site unless this is considered essential (for example if maintenance is required to maintain health and safety standards). Unfortunately this applied to volunteers who might have been planning to help in classrooms in the next few days – so thank you, but not this week.
Teachers will be working with all students to ensure that they wash their hands with soap and water prior to eating at recess and lunchtimes, and also when returning to class from break times and physical education lessons. We are grateful to families who can play their part by keeping children home if they are unwell. I understand that some families may choose to keep children home this week, where they can. We respect your decision, and the Department of Education has indicated that this week such absences will be considered ‘authorised’ in terms of children’s attendance.
While we are a little disappointed that our NAIDOC-themed assembly will now be postponed until next term, it is hoped that this will mean that parents will be able to join us. We have also cancelled Orchestra and Choir rehearsals this week. Cello lessons have also been cancelled as Ms Bak is unwell.
Last Week’s Special Events
We were very fortunate that our interschool cross country event and the Arbor Day excursion were able to go ahead last week. We were all incredibly excited to have placed second in a field of ten schools, most of which were significantly larger than Kapinara. Congratulations to our wonderful team of students, and to Ms Burrows, Mr Hodgson and to their dedicated parent helpers. Tomorrow, some proud students will receive a cross country badge to add to the sleeve of their faction shirts. :) You can read more about the cross country event on our website.
Last Friday some of our students participated in a special Arbor Day ceremony at Lake Monger. They were invited by the Town of Cambridge, and joined Mayor Keri Shannon (a former Kapinara parent) in planting a large Rivergum tree. Please click on the link to read more about this event and view some of the moments captured in photographs.
This Week
Ms Trovarelli entered drawings completed by some of our Year 2 students, in a competition designed to promote a greater awareness of issues around climate change. It would be great if you and your child could visit the website About the Contest – Kids Care About Climate Change 2021 to view our students’ artwork, read their messages and perhaps ‘like’ one or two favourites. Most were on the second page when I viewed them yesterday.
The Year 6 students have been learning about poetry, and we have also placed a few of their poems … and a limerick, on our website.
Traffic Woes
Sadly we have received another complaint from a concerned neighbour – this time in relation to some unsafe driving practices on and around Oban Rd. If arriving somewhere one minute sooner (or even one second sooner) means that a child or family ends up in hospital, it’s not a chance worth taking. Please, please, please observe ALL road rules and ensure you are your best self when you are behind the wheel – particularly around our school.
Coming Up Next Term
You might like to add the following planned events to your calendars and diaries:
- WA Schools’ Junior Strings Festival will be on the weekend of the 11-12 September 2021.
Our orchestra usually performs on Sunday morning.
- Entries for ICAS must be completed by 4 August AT THE LATEST. Families who have children in Years 2-6 would have received information about ICAS earlier today.
- Because both Book Week and Science Week occur in the same week, we alternate which one we celebrate from year to year. This year we celebrate Book Week, so yes start gathering bits and pieces to create a costume for the parade on Friday 27 August 2021.
Finally, a special congratulations to Year 6 student Chelsea Harris who was selected to compete in School Sport WA’s ‘Hockey 12 years and under Girls State Team’ recently … and a reminder that Thursday is free-dress day with a theme ‘What I Want to be When I Grow Up’ – thankfully I always wanted to be a teacher! ;-)
Best wishes
Elizabeth
Elizabeth Blackwell
Principal