Dear Parents and Carers
Welcome to the start of a shiny new term! I hope that you enjoyed the break from the routines of school. Having said that, there will be some children (and perhaps adults) who prefer routine and need that to thrive. Even those who relax into the flexibility of holiday breaks, are ready to return to the routine of school or work. It serves as a reminder that things that make one person feel comfortable and secure often have a different impact on others.
What we can depend on, is that children, and their parents, become increasingly tired as the term progresses. This often results in children finding it increasingly difficult to regulate their emotions in the final weeks of term. Unlike most school terms of ten weeks, this term is eleven weeks long. We need to be mindful of this and pace ourselves accordingly. It is easy to become caught up in what needs to be done and what we hope to achieve, but at the end of the day we achieve little if we are tired and overwhelmed. Please consider ways in which you might help your child or children navigate a longer than usual term, particularly when we start to head into cold and flu season. Ensuring that children have some additional ‘down time’ after school and on weekends and ensuring that they have a good sleep routine will be particularly important. You would probably be surprised to learn how many children, of all ages, ‘yawn’ their way through Monday mornings.
WASAP
Families previously received information about the WA Student Assistance Payment (WASAP) being offered to ease some of the cost-of-living pressures associated with school. Families with a child enrolled in primary school, Kindergarten to Year 6, are able to claim $150. The amount is different for secondary school students. The program opened yesterday and will run until Friday 28 June, which is the last day of Term 2.
To claim the payments, parents and carers are encouraged to set up a ServiceWA account. More information is available at wa.gov.au/servicewaapp The ‘WA student number’ (WASN) you will require can be found on the front page of your child’s school report. Families with children in Kindergarten, have been given their child’s student number by Mrs Mee.
ANZAC Day Commemorative Service
The Year 3 students will host our annual ANZAC Day service next Tuesday, 23 April at 2:00pm. Please note that this time differs from previous years.
Next Tuesday morning, many members of the WA State School Teachers’ Union will be involved in industrial action, as part of negotiations around the next Enterprise Bargaining Agreement. This will impact different schools in different ways. At this stage I anticipate that we will be able to accommodate all our students at school that morning, although it may mean that we do things a little differently. Please keep an eye out for a brief update at the end of this week.
Best wishes
Elizabeth Blackwell
Principal