Durham Road School eNewsletter

Principal

What a fantastic term it has been so far! I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to our incredible staff for their unwavering dedication and the care they show our students every single day. Their passion and commitment continue to make our school a nurturing and inspiring place for all.

Our recent Mother’s Day Morning Tea was a truly special event. It was wonderful to see so many mums, grandmothers, and carers join us for a morning filled with smiles, laughter, and connection. A big thank you to everyone who helped make the event so memorable. We hope you enjoyed the morning as much as we did. Our talented school photographer, Jesse, captured some beautiful moments.

As we move into the cooler months, we’ve noticed a rise in seasonal illnesses across the school. We kindly ask that if your child is showing any signs of being unwell—such as a cough, fever, or fatigue—you keep them at home to rest and recover. This helps us keep our school community as healthy as possible.

We would also like to say a huge thank you to the Embleton Primary School P&C, who have generously funded the leavers tops for our Satellite Four students. Your support means so much to our students and families, and this gesture has created a lasting memory for our graduating class.

🎉 Staff Announcements

We’re delighted to share some exciting news about recent staff appointments:

Congratulations to Jennifer Catten, who has been appointed to the permanent position of Associate Manager, Corporate Services.

Carl Gregory has been appointed as the permanent Deputy Principal – Secondary and Positive Behaviour Support.
Cassie Camacho has been appointed as the permanent Deputy Principal for the Early Years cohort.

Please join us in congratulating Jennifer, Carl, and Cassie on their well-deserved appointments. We’re lucky to have such passionate and capable leaders as part of our team.

💰 WA Student Assistance Payment (WASAP)

The Premier and Minister for Education have officially announced the second round of the WA Student Assistance Payment, providing cost-of-living relief to WA families.

Eligible families will receive:

$250 per secondary student
$150 per primary and kindergarten student

This support can help cover: Student resources, fees and charges, Camps, excursions and school uniforms

🗓 Key Dates:

Claims opened: Monday, 28 April 2025
Final day to submit claims: Friday, 4 July 2025

✅ How to Apply:

The process remains the same as last year. You’ll need your child’s WA Student Number, found on: School reports, SmartRider card or contact the school for assistance.

Submit your claim here:
👉 education.wa.edu.au/wasap

Thank you again for your ongoing support and partnership. We look forward to a strong finish to the term, full of learning, growth, and joyful moments!

Kind Regards,
Ellen McAllister
Principal

From the Leadership Team

Term 2 is in full swing, and our students have been working hard towards achieving their Individual Education Plan goals. It’s been wonderful to see the progress being made and the engaging learning activities happening across all classrooms.

Our Satellite students recently enjoyed a four-week tennis clinic, where they developed their skills and had the opportunity to learn a new sport.

A big congratulations to Colleen, the staff, and the students of Satellite Four for their fantastic assembly item. Well done also to all the students who received merit awards this term. It was lovely to see so many families join us to celebrate their achievements.

Looking ahead, our Early Years Assembly is scheduled for Friday, 6th June. Room 1 and Room 4 will be presenting an item, so please mark the date in your calendars. We’re looking forward to seeing many of you there.

As the weather cools, could you please remember to label all clothing, especially school jackets.

The school had an exciting start to Term 2 with a school visit from players of the West Coast Eagles, much to the delight of our students...and staff. The players engaged with the children, signed autographs, and inspired everyone with their positive messages about teamwork and perseverance.

Our dedicated primary teachers have been hard at work writing student reports, reflecting on the progress made so far. It’s been a productive and positive beginning to the term, setting a great tone for the weeks ahead.

Term 2 has been a very productive time in Secondary. Our students hosted a very popular Mothers Day stall filled with amazing handmade crafts demonstrating incredible art skills whilst also being sensitive to the environment. It was wonderful to see our students’ customer service skills on display. On the 28^th May our students attended the All Abilities carnival. They participated in a number of sporting events and represented Durham Road School with pride. In keeping with the sports theme our secondary students competed in the Kalability Carnival on the 4^th June. Our students enjoyed competing against other students from Education Support programs, again participating fully and being great ambassadors of our school. Well done to all our secondary students and our amazing staff. We’ve had a busy and rewarding term.

Susan Moran (Associate Principal)

Cassie Camacho (Early Years + Satellite)

Simon Hume (Primary + Satellite)

Sharon Peach (Student Services and Operations)

Carl Gregory (Secondary)

Room 1

This term in Room 1, we have been learning about different types of transport and how we all arrive at school. We have really enjoyed learning how our friends come to school by bus, car and taxi. We have enjoyed learning about the different sounds that transport makes and have so much fun trying to recreate these sounds with our mouth. Our communication focus in Room 1 has been making 'yes and no' choices- using visuals, yes/no buttons and shaking/nodding our heads to communicate our preferred choice throughout the school day. We enjoy practicing our yes/no choices and showing off our new skills to the teachers in the classroom.

In Literacy, we have been learning about letter sounds and their names and how we can use these letters to identify our name. We have been demonstrating our matching skills during math activities and enjoy using concrete objects to identify ‘same’ and ‘different’. In Science, we have been learning about crunchy, bumpy and rough surfaces and experimenting with different textures on the bottoms of our feet and in our hands. We always have fun in Room 1; every day is a new learning experience.

Room 2 has enjoyed learning all about farm animals this term. We have enjoyed making a lot of farm animal noises, a particular favourite has been gobbling like turkeys. On a Tuesday, Sophie has been covering ‘all about the weather’. Learning about wind was loads of fun with a fan whirling around bubbles and using our breath to make pin wheels spin. Outdoor play is always a favourite time with basketball, running races, chasey, tea parties and hide and seek being the chosen activities. It has been wonderful to see friendships forming within the class but also with Room 1.

Room 3

We welcomed the students back after the holidays and were excited to begin a new term together. At the end of Term 1, our class proudly performed at the school assembly. We were incredibly proud of all their efforts. The students also enjoyed a special visit from the West Coast Eagles, and it was wonderful to see their excitement while meeting the players. We’re looking forward to a fantastic Term 2 ahead.

Students in Room 10 have had a great start to Term 2. In Emerging Literacy, we have been working on positional language and the change of the season. In Maths, we are improving our number and pattern recognition. HaSS is looking at old things and jobs versus today’s way of living. We have enjoyed a season of footy classes and participating in school sports sessions and are now starting cricket. Fingers crossed for a good wet season where there are always gaps in the rain for recess and lunch outside!

Room 11

Room 11 students have enjoyed a positive and enthusiastic start to Term 2. Students have settled into their routines with energy and focus, producing some brilliant work across all subjects.

In particular, outstanding achievements have been produced in Literacy, Numeracy and Art where creativity and critical thinking are shining through. It’s wonderful to see such excitement for learning. Well done to all Room 11 students for all your fantastic hard work.

Room 12

This term, Room 12 students have enjoyed a variety of hands-on activities across Art, Health, HaSS and sensory play. Each Friday, our Art sessions offer a chance to explore different materials in fun and meaningful ways.

After watching the Sarah & Duck episode "Umbrella and the Rain", we talked about rainy days, how they feel, the sound and what we enjoy about them. This inspired our winter window display, where students used sponge painting, collage, and textured materials to create colourful umbrellas and raindrops. The display is a celebration of imagination, creativity and the joy of a rainy day.

Also, as a part of our HASS unit, we practiced making choices and expressing preferences by voting for our favourite rainy-day activities and our favourite areas in the school.

Room 15

This term, Room 15 is learning all about different animals and their habitats. We have read several books exploring these topics including 'Dear Zoo' by Rod Campbell and 'Hooray for Fish' by Lucy Collins. Everyone has been very excited to create different creatures in Art, including bears, fish and lions. We can’t wait to see what the rest of the term has in store for us.

Room 16

Room 16 had a great rest of term 1 and have had a fun start to Term 2.

In our first week, we learned all about ANZAC Day and made poppies out of clay. We’ve also been celebrating the amazing Mums in our room and worked hard to put together some lovely Mother’s Day presents.

This term our theme is ‘Under the Sea,’ and we have been reading and learning about lots of sea creatures! We can’t wait to fill out our Under the Sea art wall.

Our cooking lessons are starting to reflect the cooler weather, and we are enjoying making some cozy foods like hot chocolate with marshmallows.

As always, our favourite lessons are Multi-Sensory Room, Library and Bike Education. This term, we also got to meet and kick the footy with some West Coast Eagles players and Rick the Rock – how exciting!

We can’t wait to see what the rest of this term holds!

Room 25

The students in Room 25 have settled into Term 2 very quickly and have been engaged in a range of learning. They have been learning about different chemical reactions in Chemistry investigating how different substances might or might not dissolve and how different foods taste - like sweet and sour. The students were fascinated during a skittles rainbow experiment!

The students are working hard with their ASDAN portfolios learning about basic first aid and what the responsibilities of Western Australia’s Emergency Services involve. They had a great time bandaging each other up! All the students are working really well in class and should be very proud of their efforts.

Term 2 is already underway, and Room 26 is off to a great start! We’ve continued to work on our IEP goals in class, but there’s still plenty of time for fun and hands-on learning. Each week, we’ve enjoyed heading out on our community excursions, spotting familiar signs and learning new ones as part of our ASDAN module. Students have been showing exceptional behaviour when out and about. We’ve also had fun visiting the shops to gather ingredients for our cooking sessions. The class loves voting on what to cook each week, with recent choices including tacos and Subway-style salad rolls. We’re excited for all the fun and learning that the rest of this term will bring!

Term 2 has gotten off to an amazing start! Here in Room 27, we have been focusing on achieving some of our Semester 1 goals and reflecting on just how far we have come. We like to unwind and get into our creative sides and we had plenty of celebrations to use our talents on, whether it was Mother’s Day and our jewellery making or Easter with our bunny ears and egg baskets. Room 27 have lots to look forward to with a Daylight Disco on the horizon, and not to mention our Fun Run!

Room 31

This term has had lots of exciting things going on in and outside of the class. We have had students that go out to various workplaces. Last Tuesday, Kosta and Jerome dressed up as mad scientists and were packing food to be sold in supermarkets at WestCare.

We had an exciting visit from the Westcoast Eagles and ‘Rick the Rock’. Our students loved meeting the players and Levi and Felix had a push up contest with Rick.

Hunter and others have been taking part in a certificate course where they have been practicing their sewing. Hunter is very proud of his smart scarf he knitted.

Jez has been practicing his climbing at play times, which has done wonders for our EA’s anxiety levels.

Room 31 has been working hard at Art on Thursday’s. Chaise has done a wonderful job of creating a dragon as part of his portfolio.

Lastly our annual Mother’s Day Stall was wildly successful, again. A big thank you to Zanda and Jenni who did lots of baking and to all the students that set up, sold goods and packed up afterwards.

Term 2 is well under way and the staff and students in room 32 have been working hard towards student Individual Education Plan goals. This means we have been concentrating on our letter formation and communication – using our voices, PODD books and devices. In Science, we are looking at forces such as push and pull - we are having races as we prefer to learn by doing. We still have lots of time for fun too, painting and playing musical instruments to a four-beat rhythm. The class is currently enjoying bike riding in this cooler weather especially when we get to spend 5 mins in the primary playground as a reward for our hard work afterwards.

Satellite 1

Term 2 is off to a fantastic start in Satellite 1! Our students have continued to show a positive attitude toward learning and friendship. It’s wonderful to see them greeting their friends and teachers each morning and afternoon, creating a joyful and welcoming classroom environment.

We’re thrilled to welcome Raheem to our class this term. He has settled in beautifully, and we’re so proud of how kindly the children have welcomed him.

We also celebrated Shantelle’s birthday with a fun class party! The children loved playing party games like Pass the Parcel and Musical Statues. There was lots of laughter and dancing!

Recently, we had a special Bunnings incursion, where the students planted vegetables and herbs in our garden bed. Since then, they’ve shown great responsibility by watering their plants every day with great care and pride.

We also had a great time making our poster cards and small gifts for our mums and grandmas to celebrate Mother's Day.

Each week continues to flow nicely with fun learning experiences.

Tuesdays are highly anticipated, as we get to borrow new library books to take home and continue our fitness program. Our running endurance is improving each week, along with our balancing and throwing skills!

A weekly highlight is our Wednesday Tennis session with Coach Anthony. The children eagerly look forward to it and are building fantastic coordination and teamwork skills through these fun activities.

We end the week with great energy during Friday morning Jump Jam, followed by fun outdoor group games like Duck Duck Goose and obstacle courses.

It’s been a pleasure to see the wonderful growth, learning, and enthusiasm in our Satellite 1 classroom. Wishing everyone a wonderful remainder of Term 2!

Satellite 2 students have been having a fantastic time diving into new learning experiences that combine physical activity, creativity, and cultural understanding. From lively tennis lessons to engaging literacy sessions, the classroom has been buzzing with energy and enthusiasm!

Our students have been learning how to play tennis, and it’s been a hit! They’ve shown fantastic effort as they practise their serves, backhands, and volleys. Each lesson has helped build their coordination, teamwork, and confidence. It’s been wonderful to watch their skills improve and their love for the game grow.

In Literacy, we’ve been exploring the vibrant and meaningful story Kookoo Kookaburra by Gregg Dreise. This engaging Dreamtime tale has been brought to life through our Talk for Writing program, with students creating thoughtful and detailed story maps to retell Kookoo’s journey. Their creativity and understanding of the story’s important message about kindness have truly shone through.

As we prepare to celebrate NAIDOC Week, Kookoo Kookaburra has provided a perfect introduction to Aboriginal culture and storytelling. Students have begun reflecting on the values in the story and how they connect to the upcoming celebrations of history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We look forward to further exploring these themes during NAIDOC Week.

Throughout all of this, our Satellite 2 students have continued to impress us with their great classroom behaviour and positive attitudes. Their enthusiasm for learning and respect for one another make our classroom a fantastic place to be.

Keep up the amazing work, Satellite 2 – you’re smashing it on the court and in the classroom!

It is an exciting and busy term for the staff and students involved in Workplace Learning at DRS.

In May, we held the annual Mother’s Day stall, selling all the fabulous art and craft creations by the Secondary students, selling out of many items. The clay poppies and plastic bowls and earrings again, were a massive hit.

In another update, the Special Educational Needs Vocational Education and Training North Network (SEN VET) meeting took place at the Durham Road School Enterprise Training Centre this term. During this meeting, students showcased the diverse work tasks they complete in our program. Twelve staff members from other schools observed as our students demonstrated their skills in using Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), handling tools, operating machinery, and performing deconstruction and packaging tasks. They were particularly impressed with the innovative plastic products created by our students.

Overall, the meeting was a resounding success, highlighting the exceptional efforts of both our staff and students. We are already receiving requests from these schools to send their students for sessions at our Enterprise Training Centre.

Durham Road School is pleased to invite parents of Secondary students to our “Life Beyond School” event.

This informative session aims to provide parents with insights into various services related to alternatives to employment (ATE), micro-enterprises, social groups, respite care, and legal matters. The event is scheduled for Tuesday, 24th June, from 8:30am to 12pm.

If you're interested in attending, please RSVP by emailing DurhamRoadSchool@education.wa.edu.au.

We are mid-way through Term 2 and Art classes at the ETC are alive with creative energy. Students have worked hard all year to create such a variety of wonderful products at the Mother’s Day Stall, which was held in week 2. We raised around $1300, which reflects the support from our wonderful school community and the efforts of our secondary Arts and Enterprise students. A huge thank you to staff and students involved and to all those who support our students in their enterprise endeavours.

Secondary Arts and Enterprise students continue to work hard and keep creating, whether it be a delicate ceramic piece, a collage from gelli printed papers or a refined drawing. I am continually impressed with their creations and efforts. Keep those creative juices flowing.

Family Liaison Officers

SAVER PLUS

Saver Plus was developed by ANZ and social justice organisation the Brotherhood of St Laurence (BSL). It is delivered in partnership with not-for-profit organisation. The Smith Family, Berry Street and BSL.

ANZ and the Department of Social Service.

Saver Plus supports parents to save $50 per month for 10 months with online financial education workshops. The savings are then matched dollar-for-dollar, providing up to $500 extra for education-related costs*—potentially giving families $1,000.00.

Families can join anytime throughout the year and have funds ready to pay for camps or other education-related costs after completion of the program.

*Education-related costs include camps, laptops, school uniforms, stationery and more.

Eligibility criteria for parents include:

Holding a Health Care or Pensioner Concession Card
Receiving a Centrelink payment
Having a regular income from employment, carer’s payment, or child support
Have a child in school

To check eligibility and for further details, families can visit the website or request a call back.

Contact - 1300 610 355 or saverplus@thesmithfamily.com.au

2025 Mother’s Day Morning Tea

A big thank you to all the mum’s, grandmothers and families that were able to attend our annual Mother’s Day Morning Tea to, again, make it a wonderful success. I feel that the students enjoyed having their families there to show off and proudly introduce them to the staff.