Durham Road School eNewsletter

Principal

As we wrap up what has been a fantastic term filled with learning, growth, and enjoyment, I want to take a moment to thank our incredible students, staff, and families for their collective efforts and commitment to the students' success throughout Term 1. The partnerships between home and school continue to play a vital role in achieving positive outcomes for our learners, and we are truly grateful for your ongoing support.

Individual Education Plans (IEPs) have now been sent home, and I encourage families to review them. These documents are an important part of supporting every child’s unique learning journey.

We are delighted to announce that Susan Moran has been appointed to the substantive Associate Principal role, beginning next term. Susan has already demonstrated exceptional dedication and leadership in her time at our school, and this recognition is well-deserved.

After an incredible 34 years of dedicated service, we say a heartfelt thank you to Jo Vernon who is retiring after taking leave for Term 2. Jo has worn many hats over the years – from Education Assistant and office staff to roles in the pool (hydrotherapy), IT Coordinator, Training, Occupational Health and Safety Representative, and most recently, Therapy Coordinator – just to name a few! Her commitment, versatility, and warmth have left a lasting impact on students, staff, and the wider school community. In recognition of her outstanding contribution, Jo will be awarded a gold medallion and a valedictorian letter. We wish her all the very best in her retirement and know she will be greatly missed around the school.

This term, we also say a heartfelt thank you and farewell to two valued team members. Sarah Pfaff (First Aid Officer) will be moving on to an exciting new position, and we wish her all the very best in her next chapter. We also farewell Shae Baxter temporarily, who will be stepping into a new role next term—our sincere thanks for her contribution and dedication to our school community.

A big congratulations to David Cumming, who has been named this year’s Durham Road School Rotary Teacher of the Year! This special award is voted on by our staff and recognises outstanding dedication, passion, and contribution to our school community. A heartfelt thank you to the Rotary Club of Morley for their ongoing support in providing this fantastic award and helping us celebrate the exceptional educators at our school. Please see the photos below.

As we head into the holiday break, I hope everyone has the chance to relax, recharge, and spend quality time with loved ones. Stay safe, and we look forward to welcoming everyone back for another great term ahead.

Kind Regards,
Ellen McAllister
Principal

From the Leadership Team

Early Years: Our Early Years students have had a wonderful Term 1, and we are especially proud of our Kindy and Pre-Primary students who have made a smooth transition into school life. They’ve quickly settled into routines and enjoyed participating in engaging and fun classroom activities.

A highlight of the term was our recent Early Years Assembly. A big thank you to the staff in Rooms 2 and 3 for organising an exciting assembly. It was a lovely way to end the term, and it was great to see so many families and friends there to support our students.

All parents should have now met with their child’s teacher to discuss Semester 1 goals and priorities. Individual Education Plans have been sent home. If you have any questions or would like to discuss your child’s progress further, please contact your child’s teacher.

Thank you to all our families for your ongoing support throughout Term 1. We wish you a safe and relaxing Easter break, and we’ll see everyone back at school on Tuesday, 29th April.

Primary: It's been a fantastic term in the Primary phase with students making great progress towards their Individual Behaviour Support Plan goals. A highlight has been the Starkick footy sessions on Thursdays, which have been thoroughly enjoyed by everyone. A big thank you to Sarah Mondelly (Secondary Teacher) for organising these sessions. As we head into the break, I hope everyone enjoys some well-earned rest, and we look forward to a busy and productive second term ahead in the primary phase!

Secondary: What a busy term it has been in Secondary. While looking forward to the holidays we look back on a very productive and engaging 10 weeks. Our teachers and education assistants have created classroom environments where our students are challenged and experience success. This term we have enjoyed many highlights including;

Representing Durham Road School with pride earning the Good Sportsmanship trophy at the recent Kalability carnival.
Students enjoying a boogie at the recent Daylight Disco.
Super fun on Friday afternoons with the Funfit incursions.
Developing student engagement in physical activity through Sports Ability.
Enjoying our first assembly of the year led by rooms 24 and 27 and celebrating all our merit award winners.
The amazing David Cumming being awarded the Rotary Teacher of the Year. Congratulations David and thank you for all your hard work at Durham.

We wish all our wonderful staff and students a terrific term 1 break. We look forward to seeing students back at school on Tuesday 29^th April for the commencement of term 2.

Satellite: The Satellite students celebrated Harmony Day on March 21st, embracing the diversity within our school community. Students wore cultural dress and had the opportunity to bring a plate of food to share during the whole-school picnic. It was a fantastic day, celebrating the rich variety of cultures that make our school unique.

Additionally, Satellite 3 and 4 recently completed a two-week block of swimming lessons at Bayswater Waves. The program was a great success, with students gaining vital swim safety skills.

Student Services and Operations: Staff training this term has focused on a range of teaching and learning topics. These included:

Manual Handling
Epilepsy
Multi-Sensory Room
Switching skills
Curriculum assessment and reporting
Information and Communication Technology (ICT) – provided by Teacher of the Year Rotary Award winner, David Cummings.
Object/wheelchair cues
Vision impairment and classroom setup
Module 1: Introduction to Pragmatic Organisation Dynamic Display (PODD)
Team Teach
Jenny Cole – writing Education Assistant applications

Staff have embraced these learning opportunities. I have shared with you a handout about wheelchair cues for students who are blind or have a vision impairment.

Susan Moran (Associate Principal)

Melissa Murphy and Cassie Camacho (Early Years)

Simon Hume (Primary)

Sharon Peach (Student Services and Operations)

Hannah Gibson (Satellite)

Carl Gregory (Secondary)

Tactile_Cues_for_Wheelchair_Users_with_Vision_Impairment.pdf

EYLC

The Pre-Primary and Kindergarten students have adjusted nicely to their school routine. They are getting the hang of unpacking their school bags each morning before heading out to play and have also learned the importance of sharing and taking turns. This week, we made Easter Egg baskets for our class egg hunt. The students had a blast colouring and gluing them together, and of course, they especially enjoyed eating the eggs afterward! We wish everyone a Happy Easter! 😊

Room Four students have had a fantastic start to their school year! The classroom was filled with excitement as the children enjoyed various fun activities. One of the highlights of the term was cooking mini pizzas! The children loved adding their favourite toppings and enjoyed their delicious creations. Outside of the classroom, we have loved being active during swimming and playing in the playground with friends. In the classroom, we’ve been keeping busy with various fun and creative activities, from art and music, to library, literacy and numeracy skills. It’s been a fantastic term full of learning, laughter, and fun!

Room 18

Room 18 has had a great start to the school year! The classroom was filled with joy and happiness. We were kept busy this term with percussion music practice for our Assembly at the end of term. The assembly was incredible with all students getting involved in the performance for their classmates and family. In the classroom we have been busy doing lots of activities, such as experiments in science to explore different types of weather and using different materials to make artwork every week in art. Outside the classroom we have all been having fun participating in swimming lessons, sessions in the multisensory room and playing in the playground with our friends. It has been an amazing term for Room 18 full of fun, learning and happiness.

Room 19

The start of the year has been exceptionally busy, with our schedule packed with a wide range of engaging activities, including Art, Digital Technologies, Design and Technologies, Health, Physical Education, and Multi-Sensory Room experiences. Every Friday, we eagerly anticipate our Creative Expression sessions, with Art taking centre stage. This term, we are exploring the concept of line to create texture, patterns, and depth. Recently, we applied various line techniques to enhance the letter "E" (for Elephant), which was the focus letter of the week. The result has been a collection of stunning artwork that now adorns the walls of our classroom.

Room 21

Hello from Room 21!

We have had a busy start to the school year and have had a great time exploring the secondary school playground. We have been working hard on our IEP goals, but our favourite activities have been doing fun-fit dance lessons and health lessons where we have been learning about our personal details and public and private places.

Hope everyone has a wonderful term break!

Room 22

Room 22 students have had a busy and great start to the new school year!

Our much-loved Hydrotherapy, Multi-Sensory Room activities and in-class Switching sessions are back and the students couldn't be happier! We've been getting hands-on with our new term topics, exploring them through a range of engaging sensory activities.

In Science, we've been using our senses to explore the differences between solids, liquids, and gases – and having a blast mixing them together to see what happens! HASS has been a real highlight, with incredible visits from staff members of various cultural backgrounds. They’ve brought the room to life with music, traditional costumes and language demonstrations, giving us a rich and vibrant glimpse into their heritage.

In Health, we've been winding down each day with mindful breathing, stretching, and peaceful guided meditation – a lovely way to end our busy days.

We can’t wait to see what next term brings!

Room 23

The students and staff in Room 23 have had an enthusiastic start to the year. Everyone has settled in well, and the students are making great strides toward achieving their IEP goals. We’ve also begun working on our ASDAN work for the year, and it’s been wonderful to see such positive progress from everyone.

Our daily Literacy block has been a key focus, helping to enhance students’ communication skills in an enjoyable and interactive way. A class favourite has been 'The Book That Never Ends,' which has captured the students' imaginations and sparked lots of laughter and learning. We are all also enjoying playing bowling during playtime with Room 22.

As Term 1 comes to a close, we are proud to share the exciting progress the students of Room 24 have made so far this year! Our classroom has been buzzing with energy, as students have worked hard, made new friends, and grown both academically and socially.

One of the highlights of the term was our participation in the Cricket Carnival. Students displayed great teamwork, sportsmanship, and enthusiasm as they took to the field. It was wonderful to see them working together, supporting one another, and showing off the skills they’ve been developing in Physical Education. Another exciting opportunity has been the cross-setting sessions with another classroom for cooking. Students have been learning new recipes, following instructions, and developing skills in the kitchen. These sessions have not only been fun but have also encouraged collaboration and the sharing of ideas between students from different classes.

Learning isn’t confined to the classroom, and Room 24 have embraced this by engaging in some fantastic outdoor learning experiences. Whether it’s exploring nature or using the space for group activities, our students have enjoyed hands-on learning that keeps them excited and engaged.

One of our key focuses in Room 24 is building independence in learning. Students have been encouraged to take responsibility for their tasks, ask questions when they need help, and manage their time effectively. Along with this, we’ve seen wonderful improvements in using polite manners. As we move into the second term, we are excited to continue fostering these positive habits and watching our students become confident, independent learners and compassionate friends. We look forward to more exciting achievements in the coming months!

Room 28 has had a great start to 2025. One of our favourite lessons is Cooking. Cooking is an activity that supports language, interaction skills, sequencing, fine motor skills, spreading, mixing and also, the big skill, enjoyment. One of the most favourite recipes the students have made and eaten has been cheesy garlic bread. Definitely a classroom favourite.

The Satellite 3 class has had a very busy end of term. The students all participated in Harmony Day and have started swimming lessons on Monday. It was great to see so many students get dressed up to help share their own cultures and celebrate the diversity within our class. Harmony Day provided a wonderful opportunity for students to learn about different traditions, foods, and customs, and to share stories from their own backgrounds. In addition to Harmony Day, Satellite 3 has also started their swimming lessons on Monday. The students are already showing great progress as they build confidence in the water. It’s been exciting to see them work together, encourage one another, and have fun while improving their swimming skills.

Satellite 4

The Satellite 4 class had a great start to the school year working hard and engaging in events at Embleton Primary. Our class participated in the Harmony Day Picnic held in March and enjoyed tasting food from various countries. A few of our students dressed up for Hero Hunter Day. In Science lessons, the students have been participating in a range of exciting experiments. Our Student Leader Daniyal attended a GRIP Leadership Conference at the Perth Convention Centre in February. The Satellite 4 students enjoyed playing board games and viewing artworks, sent to us from our “sister school” in Japan. This week we started our swimming lessons at Bayswater Waves and everyone has been excited, eager to develop their swimming skills.

Art

Artistic endeavours are embedded into all our art lessons over in the Enterprise and Training Centre. The senior students who participate in the art program have been focusing on fantasy and texturizing and have produced some magnificent works. They have made ceramic dragon eyes, paper mâché dragon eyes, plaster dragon sculptures, lino printed dragon eyes and dragon drawings. Staff have been delighted and blown away with the level of work being produced. Keep creating, Students!

Family Liaison Officers

Free Places to Go Over the School Holidays:

Woodbridge Riverside Park and Play Space:

Address: First Avenue, Woodbridge 6056
Features: Picnic tables Shade areas Water fountain

Accessibility Features: Wheelchair accessible toilets Disabled parking Accessible play equipment

The riverside area has been a favourite spot with locals for many years and is now complemented with playground equipment and picnic facilities.

The John George Walk trail alongside the Swan River and a separate cycle path, links this park with Reg Bond Reserve. These two areas combine to form the Swan Regional Riverside Park.

Tables, shade and children's playground make this an attractive picnic area on the Swan River. A perfect spot to launch a kayak or canoe for a paddle on the river.

Woodbridge Riverside Play Space: The play space is a major play area within the City, inspiring creative, engaging and physical play for all ages and abilities.

It features an Eco Adventure play zone including sand, nature and water play, ship and raft, carousel and spinners, sway fun rocket, double cable way flying fox with accessible and pommel seats, taste garden and swings. The area is surrounded by picnic areas and park furniture and also features a takeaway kiosk for purchasing food and drink.

Woodbridge Riverside Play Space is one of few facilities in the Perth area to incorporate super accessible amenities into the design. It features play and social opportunities for wheelchair users and visitors with other physical or intellectual impairments.

Inclusive parking is available including spaces for vans with rear lifts and several extra wide bays. There is also a ceiling hoist and change facilities for children and adults.

The City received funding from Lotterywest, the Western Australian Planning Commission and the Regional, Local Community Infrastructure Program, Better Regions, Perth Bicycle Network and Swan River Trust for the Woodbridge Riverside.

Pia's Place:

Whiteman Park’s newest attraction has been designed to allow ALL children to explore and play in an inspirational nature-based inclusive play space.

It starts with amenities accessible to all: from the tram stop and ACROD parking bays at the entrance to the barbeques, drinking fountains and pathways inside. The area also includes a world class Changing Place’s® facility.

Pia’s Place then unfolds to reveal an exciting place of discovery where there is something for everyone. Their facilities include:

Quiet nooks, cosy corners and perch points hidden throughout the playspace, allowing for observation of play for those who need it, before ramping up the activity.
Accessible harness swings on the flying fox and pogo swing offer support to those who need it but still want to engage in fast moving fun.
A carousel swing, sway-fun rocker, tunnel, nests and basket swing provide additional accessible fun.
Plants of different textures, colours and smells provide a sensory experience for all to enjoy.
Pia’s Place encourages everyone to engage in constructing and building with nature through the accessible cubby building space and sand play areas.
Sand play tables and ‘sandpits’ that include transfer benches invite everyone to get their hands dirty.
As a beacon for play, the lighthouse welcomes children and adults to come and explore!

Opportunities abound for calculated risk and physical challenge for all levels of ability throughout the playspace, making it a place of excitement for both the young and young at heart.

All of these features are well connected by journey pathways that link people of all types of abilities together for play in the beautiful natural setting of the Mussel Pool East picnic area.

Volcano Park Playspace:

Address: Progress Way, Cloverdale

Calling all little Rainforest Explorers! Check out this jungle of fun at Volcano Park Playspace in Cloverdale. This play space has been designed specifically for children under the age of 5, including crawling babies!! Perfect miniature sized steps, slides and play elements that allow children to play independently in a safe and developmentally appropriate play environment. This play space provides sensory, gross motor, imaginative, social and developmentally appropriate challenges.

Swing like a monkey on the swings, play tunes on the musical instruments and listen to it resonate through the jungle. Touch the tactile panels hidden under the jungle deck to discover smooth, bumpy and fuzzy surfaces or create a picture on the pixel panel. Tinker up the crawling platform using the baby-sized support rails to assist and slide down the little slide all by yourself!! Jump on the rainforest springers with their beautiful Rainforest Graphics and experience the view of the jungle from the back of a grasshopper or friendly tree snake. Volcano Park Toddler PlaySpace is a wonderland of adventure for little ones.

Sandy Beach Playground:

Sandy Beach is one of the Town’s most prominent natural open spaces. It attracts many people from within and outside the Town. The $1.62m playground was made possible by the Town securing multiple funding opportunities through the Commonwealth Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure Grant, Lotterywest, State Government and the Town of Bassendean.

The location of the playground is well serviced by the existing footpath network and the newly completed Whitfield Safe Active Street. End of trip facilities such as bike rails and water fountains have been provided along with a new toilet block with unisex toilets. Please bring your family and loved ones and come enjoy this wonderful new community space.

Don't forget your insect repellent!

Workplace Learning

Planning for the future can be a time-consuming and difficult enterprise that must be planned for well in advance of students leaving school. The main options available to our students at the end of year 12 are:

Alternatives to Employment (ATE): ATE includes activities such as 1:1 excursions with a carer and group activities such as bowling or cooking. Most of our students will take part in ATE on a part time basis. For some this will be in addition to part-time employment. For many this will be their only focus. Being involved in group activities is usually less expensive than 1:1 support meaning less NDIS funding is required. If the activity is considered “upskilling” of the individual, the price per hour may be more.

Customised Employment: Micro-enterprise: The NDIS uses the term Customised Employment to cover a variety of employment options including micro-enterprise. A micro-enterprise is a small business that is set up using the student’s NDIS funding. It requires a significant commitment from the families to set up and run a micro-enterprise businesses. Past Durham Road students have micro-enterprise businesses including lawn mowing, processing Containers For Change cans and bottles, cooking cup-cakes and creating stained glass crafts sold at market stalls.

Customised Employment: Open Employment or Supported Employment: Some of our students will gain employment in supported environments or open employment. To be eligible for employment students need to be reliable workers when supervised on a 1:14 ratio. They need to be able to maintain their own hygiene, communicate their needs and interact appropriately with co-workers and staff. Most students who gain employment will do so for a maximum of three days per week. They require funding in their NDIS package to facilitate employment and often to assist with additional initial support as well as transport. Parents and Carers can request School Leavers Employment Supports (SLES) funding to be added to their NDIS package to assist in teaching work skills in their final years of school or the few years beyond school.

TAFE/further studies: Some of our students take part in Certificate courses at Durham Road School and other nearby schools. Some of these students may be interested in taking part in further studies at TAFE or in the local community. Most students will need additional assistance to complete the course and as the path into TAFE can be complicated, it’s necessary to investigate this well in advance of leaving school.

At Durham Road School we endeavour to assist parents in planning for their children’s future through transition meetings, parent information events and individualised support. On Tuesday 24^th June we will be hosting a “Future Pathways” event. If you are interest in receiving updates on our Future Pathways event, please let us know by emailing the school at durhamroad@education.wa.edu.au or writing in your child’s communication book.