November 2024
Principal
Dear Parents and Carers,
It has been a wonderful start to the 4th term with lots to do and celebrate across the school.
A number of staff attended the West Australian Education Support Principals and Administrators Association Awards Night on Friday 1st November- this event allows schools the opportunity to nominate staff who go above and beyond to support and engage the students within their settings.
The staff from Durham Road School who were nominated for awards were the following:
Leader of the Year
- Beverley Borland
Teacher (Primary) of the Year
- Jodal Pearce
- Courtney Smith
- Melissa Murphy
- Marie-Lyse Chetty
Teacher (Secondary) of the Year
- Montel Millar
- David Cumming
Allied Professional of the Year
- Miho Tanabe
- Adriana Collazos Nino
- Lucy Wimmer
- Nyree Clark
Support Staff of the Year
- Isabelle Hawkesford
Congratulations to all our nominees. Each of you make a significant contribution to our school, student's educational outcomes and success. Thank you for all you do.
A special congratulations goes to Bev Borland who I’m thrilled to announce won the Leader of the Year category! Well done Bev, it is wonderful recognition for all the outstanding commitment and leadership you have shown over your time at Durham Road School.
Teachers are busy finalising end of year reports. I hope you enjoy reading about the programs and activities your child has participated in and are proud of their efforts and achievements. These will be sent home before the end of term.
Thank you.
Kind Regards,
Ellen McAllister
Principal
From the Leadership Team
Dear Parents and Carers,
The last term of the year is always filled with a heap of things and this one is no different.
Early Years had a successful transition to school morning for the Kindy and Pre-Primary students who will be joining us next year. It was a wonderful opportunity for the children and their parents to meet their teachers and other families who will be starting their journey with us in 2025.
Over the holidays, we have had beautiful new colourful softfall installed in the Early Years playground. This is a welcome addition to extend the area available for climbing and play equipment.
The Primary phase participated in the Lego League network competition on Friday 1st November. Joondalup ESC were successful with a grant from Google and invited other education support schools to build a Lego piece and take it to a hall in Karrinyup to showcase their skills! 9 students from Satellite and Primary participated on the day and we won a creativity award!
The Secondary excursion to the Zoo was a great day and everyone loved seeing the animals with the lions being especially friendly and on display and the crocodile being quite active and impressing everyone with his size and teeth!! Some of the classes were treated to a hyperactive display with the tassie devils going full blast, truly a sight to see. All up, the excursion was a fun one even with the extensive renovations occurring.
On the 15th of November, Secondary classes have Swan Districts Football Club running an all-abilities football clinic which promises to be a fun session.
The 28th of November is the Durham Road School Annual Art Exhibition. The art we have seen so far looks amazing and as always, we are very proud of what our students can do, and we know you will be amazed at the skill on show.
The School Leavers Assembly is being held on Tuesday the 3rd of December, and the Primary Graduation is on Friday 6th December. We have a pretty big cohort leaving us this year from secondary, and the events promise to be big!
We were told (by Sheila) that we needed to mention the Sports Carnival held on the last day of Term 3. As always it was a fantastic day filled with fun, energy and amazing sportsmanship and engagement. Everyone gave 100% and we could not be happier with the weather or our students. This year Blue faction brought home the trophy but everyone was a winner for just competing.
A huge congratulations to our year 6 Satellite students who had their Graduation ceremony on Friday 8th November. It’s been an incredible journey for these students, and we are so proud of all they have achieved. The Graduation Ceremony was a very special occasion, and we are very thankful to all the parents and families who came along to celebrate their remarkable milestone with their children.
Thank you.
Kind Regards,
Susan Moran and Tania Muller (Early Years)
Simon Hume (Primary)
Sharon Peach (Student Services and Operations)
Cassie Camacho (Satellite)
Heath Bradley (Secondary)
Room 2
It has been wonderful to welcome the students back from the term break. They had fun-filled but busy conclusion to Term 3. With our friends from Room 12, the students performed at assembly. At the assembly, the students expressed to the audience what their friends mean to them. In Week 10, the students attended our Early Years Sport Carnival and enjoyed participating in various races and had opportunity to practise their switching skills with range of switch adapted equipment and toys. We are looking forward to Term 4.
Room 3
Room Three’s theme for this term is Australian animals and celebrating Christmas. So far, we have enjoyed books about cheeky swooping magpies (Waddle Giggle Gargle! By Pamela Allen), what dung beetles get up to (Squiggle, Diddle, Plop by Guundie Kuchling), naughty possums (Possum in the house by Kiersten Jensen) and moonlit parties (Moon Dance by Jess black). We have had great fun using a variety of materials such as cotton balls, leaves and pipe cleaners to make magpies, koalas, echidnas, and emus during art. All our art is displayed in our class, so you are welcome to come and have a look at our masterpieces. As the weather has got warmer, we have also really enjoyed water play. Sharing the buckets and other equipment is something we are working hard on!
Room 10
Room 10 has had a great start to Term 4. We took all the excitement of the secondary school zoo excursion in our stride. The monkeys and zebras were our favourite animals.
We have been continuing to work on our individual literacy and maths task drawers every day. These have also been helping with our fine motor skills and independence.
We now make a weekly visit to the school library, learning how to choose our own books, read the stories, and be as quiet as we can!
In Geography we have been looking at our world, Australia, Perth, and our own neighbourhoods. We have also been learning about other countries where we have friends and family. In Science this term we’ve been making tornadoes, but only in jars for now!
Room 11
Hello Everyone,
Welcome back to school.
Room 11 is back into our routine and work. This term, we are participating in a few exciting events, such as drumming, sensorium and wearing traditional clothes.
Our focus in literacy this term is using our iPad to listen to the weekly story books and continue to use our manners. Sports lessons on Tuesdays will be fun and interactive, and we cannot wait for all the games and activities. We will also be kind and fair during team games.
We wish you all a fantastic term and hope you enjoy the photos of our activities and events. We look forward to sharing more of our journey with you.
Room 14
It has been a great start to term 4 with a visit from St John Ambulance. We got to see inside an ambulance, watch the red and blue lights and learn about what an emergency was. Imogen and Zoe really liked using the paper phones to dial 000. Ekroopdeep was so excited to sit inside the Ambulance while Cooper and John watched. Devon liked making the bear mask which is the mascot for St John Ambulance, Kura Bear. This was a fantastic start to the term!
We have also celebrated Zoe’s birthday, with a special visit from her old teacher Nick from Embleton Primary. We have also danced at the school discos, everyone loves to watch the bubbles and the different coloured lights. Zoe, Coopa and Imogen were showing us funky moves on the dance floor, while Ekroopdeep got close to the bubbles. We are looking forward to more exciting activities in room 14.
Bye for now.
Holly and Elanore
Room 15
Room 15 have had a busy start to Term 4. We have welcomed a new student back from Embleton and are working hard on all our goals. We are enjoying having swimming lessons again this term and love dancing at our school discos. Our class loves music and dancing which shows during our morning movement dance routines and our weekly music lessons where we practise keeping the beat and experimenting with instruments. We are all excited for what is to come this term as our last five weeks together as a class!
Room 16
Welcome back to room 16, we’ve had lots going on since our last newsletter!
We welcomed a new student to our room and finished off an exciting term 3 with lots of fun events like pyjama day, book week dress up and our sports carnival, which we had so much fun participating in!
This term our theme is ‘minibeasts’ and our books of the week are exploring lots of different insects. In art we have been creating different minibeasts to add to our room 16 garden wall, which is turning into a hive of activity.
We enjoyed dressing up in our traditional outfits in week 3 and it was very cool to see what everyone else was wearing.
We especially love our cooking lessons where we always cook up a storm and continue to look forward to our swimming, library and MSR sessions.
We have had a fabulous year and are excited to finish it off with a bang!
Room 25
At school we have been learning about how to care for a class pet.
We know that all living things need water, shelter, food and safety.
Hermit crabs are fun pets. We are very good at taking care of them.
Room 26
This term in Room 26 have been learning all about mapping in Maths. We have discussed direction and position and worked hard at our understanding of location. On our Perth Zoo excursion the group carefully decided what animals we wanted to see and plotted out a plan of which direction we would need to go. While there, the students monitored our progress on their maps. On our return to school, we plotted our walk by identifying which animals we saw in order drawing a line to indicate our tour of the site in the day. In addition, in class we have mastered both identifying the grid references of objects and counting the steps and direction required to move to an identified location.
As an extension of our learning, we have been inputting directions or coding into Bee Bots as part of our Digital Technologies program.
In Science we have been exploring contact and non-contact forces – which has included activities such as balloon rocket racing, exploring magnetic force and friction with marbles on different surfaces.
Our focus in Literature has been the development of a character profile of the Big Bad Wolf. We have read fractured fairy tales of both The Three Little Pigs and Little Red Riding Hood exploring this familiar fictional character. The creative writing produced by the students has been outstanding!
Room 27
What a start to Term 4!
We ended up at the Zoo the second week in and Room 27 loved it. The day was packed full of animals, and we managed to get some great pictures with a few.
Our spooky spirit has also come out this term as we have just finished up decorating our classroom for Halloween.
Not to mention our Ambulance incursion. Here, we learnt all about how to deal with emergencies and even got a tour of the Ambulance. We now know what to say when we call 000 and how to help someone when they are in danger.
We cannot wait for the excursions planned for this term, the chocolate factory and bowling are just around the corner!
Room 31
In Room 31, we cherish every birthday celebration, but there's something truly special about marking an 18th birthday. This year, we had the pleasure of celebrating Antoni’s milestone birthday during Week 1 of Term 4!
To kick off the festivities, we gathered at school for a delicious cake as we honoured Antoni’s special day. The celebration continued the next day with an exciting outing to 8 Napkins in Bassendean, where, at Antoni’s choice, his classmates and teachers could enjoy a feast of burgers, chips, and milkshakes.
8 Napkins truly went above and beyond, providing an accommodating atmosphere and fantastic food. The setting was perfect for a memorable gathering, and everyone had a fabulous time enjoying each other's company.
What a way to start the final term of 2024!
Room 32
Dear Families,
Exciting things have been happening in Room 32 this month! Our students have been fully engaged in a variety of activities that have fostered their creativity, teamwork, and learning.
Sport Carnival Success!
A big shoutout to everyone who participated in the Sport Carnival! All students showed impressive skills in the relay races, cheered on their classmates with great enthusiasm. The teamwork and sportsmanship displayed were truly commendable!
Creative Art Activities
In art class, our artists have been creating all types of art and making comments of their work.
Listening to Books
We’ve also been diving into storytelling. Students have been listening to a range of captivating books, sparking their imaginations and enhancing their love for reading. Discussions following these sessions have been rich and insightful!
Swimming Fun
Our swimming lessons have been a splash! The kids are gaining confidence in the water, with many practicing their strokes and having a blast during pool games.
Number Concepts
Finally, we’ve been working on early number concepts through fun games and concrete activities. The students are becoming more comfortable with numbers, and it’s wonderful to see their progress.
Thank you for your continued support! We’re looking forward to more adventures in learning.
Warm regards,
Room 32 Team
Satellite 1
How quickly this term is flying by! I hope everyone is enjoying it so far.
At Embleton, on the last Thursday of Term 3, Satellite 1 students joined their mainstream peers for some engaging NAIDOC activities. They participated in storytelling, arts and crafts, sensory experiences, face painting, and even had the chance to try delicious damper and kangaroo sausages.
Students have also been enhancing their social skills through games like Musical Chairs and The floor is lava! It’s always a blast to see them learning to handle both winning and losing while having fun with their friends.
A standout event this term was the Colour Explosion Run 4 Fun! Everyone loved dashing around the oval, getting soaked, and covered in vibrant colours!
Over the past few weeks, Satellite 1 and Embleton Pre-Primary students have been hard at work practicing for a special event. This Friday, November 1st, they will host the whole school assembly and present their Dance Medley. We hope family and friends can join us for this exciting occasion!
Satellite 2
We have started Term 4 with the annual Colour Run at Embleton Primary School. Everyone had so much fun running through the colours with their friends.
In Health lessons, Satellite 2 have been learning to identify emotions, if a problem is a big problem or little problem and using different strategies to self-regulate.
We have enjoyed participating in different activities during daily morning fitness sessions. The students have particularly enjoyed taking turns on the trampoline and playing team games.
Workplace Learning
Exploring Microenterprises: Empowering Self-Employment
A microenterprise, also called a microbusiness, is a small business that is simple and low-cost to start up. These small ventures can often be owned and operated by a single person, making them accessible for many. Microenterprises can be built around interests, hobbies and strengths. They can provide the control and flexibility many people seek in their work lives.
Why Consider a Microenterprise?
Starting a microenterprise allows you to customize your work experience in several ways:
- Choice of Work: You can focus on what you love, be it art and crafts, gardening, car washing, or courier services.
- Financial Independence: With a successful microbusiness, you may increase your earning potential.
- Flexible Hours: You decide when, how much, and where you work, allowing for a better work-life balance.
Positive Outcomes for Owners with Disabilities
A recent Australian study highlighted the significant benefits of microbusiness ownership for individuals with disabilities. These outcomes include:
- A renewed sense of purpose and looking forward to the future.
- Increased self-esteem and a better overall quality of life.
- Opportunities to contribute to the community and create a larger social network.
- A secure income, which can lead to financial stability.
- The potential to create employment for others.
NDIS Support for Microenterprises
For NDIS participants, launching a microenterprise is an achievable goal. Accessing support through the NDIS for your microbusiness works similarly to other employment support options. To get started:
- Long-Term Employment Goal: Ensure that your NDIS plan includes a long-term goal related to employment, self-employment, or business ownership.
- Short-Term Goals: Develop specific short-term goals to guide you as you embark on your entrepreneurial journey. For instance, you might set a goal to explore what type of job or business you want to pursue and identify the steps needed to achieve that goal.
Starting a microenterprise is a path worth considering for many. With the right support and a clear vision, you can turn your interests into a successful venture that gives life both structure and purpose.
Family Liaison Officers
Moorditj Koort is a community controlled, not-for-profit organisation that supports the health and wellness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples living in WA. Moorditj Koort has a range of programs designed to help Indigenous peoples in our community.
Moorditj Koort was established in partnership with the Aboriginal Community and the Rockingham Kwinana Divisions of General Practice (RKDGP) in 2010.
The need for establishing Moorditj Koort was raised at a community meeting in 2009 in the Aboriginal Planning Forums to create a ‘One Stop Shop’.
The community stated that the biggest issues facing Aboriginal people was the increased number of services engaging with Aboriginal people without visible outcomes.
- Community connector Programs
- Integrated team Care
- Indigenous healthy lifestyle programs
- Community Liaison Officer Program
Moorditj Koort can help you with your NDIS plans and much, much more.
The service is FREE provided by Moorditj Koort Aboriginal Corporation.
For more information come and have a yarn with Kerry (Family Liaison Officer)
I have recently been involved with a family, supporting them at Perth Children's Hospital. I could feel the stress of mum and see her keeping a brave face on. I could also see and feel the stress for her young son.
Hospital staff were wonderful but certainly appeared to be anxious about the care of a child with special needs.
I have since come across this from Perth Children's Hospital and hopefully it may be of use and make any appointments, or hospital stays a little easier for all involved.
KKIND – Keeping Kids in NO Distress
PCH’s Keeping Kids in No Distress (KKIND) service aims to help children cope with medical trauma, anxiety and distress caused by illness, injury or hospitalisation.
The KKIND team includes a KKIND coordinator, occupational therapists, and an allied health assistant.
They work collaboratively with medical, surgical, nursing and allied health teams across the hospital to support your child.
Just Google - KKIND PCH
This will take you to KKind resources, where you can download the
- KKIND Comfort Card PCH Emergency Department.
This resource communicates to PCH staff information regarding, likes, dislikes, specific needs, communication, and any other information you feel is vital to understanding your child’s individuality.
- Neurodiversity Care Plan.
The Neurodiversity Care Plan (NCP) is a questionnaire for caregivers to complete. It provides information for staff regarding communication, preferred sensory tools and other approaches to help them care for your child.
AND Social Stories
KKIND is certainly worth looking into if your child is going to hospital for a treatment or you are having to, unfortunately, visit PCH emergency department. It would also be valuable to google and read the information in preparation for any future visits to PCH before a crisis occurs.
Ask a member of your child’s medical team whether KKIND is appropriate for them.
I would very much appreciate any feedback from this service or any other helpful services you may have engaged with in your journeys.
It is so important we share great resources with each other to make some of those more difficult experiences a little easier for someone else on the same road.
NDIS MISSION AUSTRALIA
Need some assistance with your NDIS Plan? Mission Australia, Partners in the Community for the NDIA are assisting families with their plan on Wednesdays at Bayswater Library: 9am – 12pm and or Thursdays at Maylands Library: 12pm -4pm.
An opportunity to discuss your concerns of find out more information about your individual circumstances and plan.
The Arts
Kaya Wanjoo. We are now in Djilba and spring has sprung, especially in The Arts. Secondary arts students have been learning about new mediums to use and have been using these to create some beautiful blooms. There is a collection of gorgeous colourful pieces that have already been framed up for the Durham Road annual art exhibition next term. Similarly, the students have been creating fantastic ceramic pieces for individual totems that are looking stunning.
As always, I am hugely grateful for our wonderful team, who diligently work to teach our students their program. As part of their program, many of our secondary students are also involved in enterprise. What a fabulous success our Father’s Day stall was. All items were made by our students, which makes it a very special stall. I hope all the people who received gifts from our stall were pleased with what they were given.
'Hello Ellenbrook' Event
To Whom it May Concern,
Join us for the Hello Ellenbrook Event on Sunday, 8 December, from 9:30 am to 2 pm! This free, family-friendly event celebrates the opening of the new Morely-Ellenbrook Line with activities across all five new stations: Morley, Noranda, Ballajura, Whiteman Park, and Ellenbrook.
Come explore Perth’s latest stations, discover unique public art, collect limited edition Ellenbrook Line cards, and enjoy a variety of food options, including free sausage sizzles and ice cream at select locations. There will also be face painting, roving entertainment, and live community performances lighting up the main stage at Ellenbrook Station.
Travel is free for SmartRider holders on the day. Special Event trains will be running throughout the event, with the first train to Ellenbrook departing Bayswater Station at 9:58 am and the first from Ellenbrook leaving at 10:13 am.
Be part of the celebration! Find out more at Hello, Ellenbrook Line! - METRONET
