14 March 2014

From the Principal

Dear Parents and Community

Planning is well underway for the transition of Year Seven’s to Ashdale Secondary College in 2015. The building has commenced on the Specialised Learning Area and should be completed by January 2015 which means our students will be housed in a new and modern learning space specifically designed for Year Sevens in the secondary environment.

At Madeley Primary School we are planning for this double graduation with both the current Year 7’s and 6’s moving to the Secondary College by 2015. We are mindful of making graduation from primary school special for both cohorts and are determined they will all have the same opportunities as previously graduating students.

We have increased the number of student leadership opportunities and officially presented our leaders with their badges last week. We look forward to seeing their successes and achievements throughout the year. Both cohorts will be going on camp as one group early in Term Four before our current Year 7’s relocate to Ashdale Secondary College on 24th November accompanied by either Mr Taddei or Mr Keunen. The current Year 6 students will participate in transition activities during Semester Two.

We are currently reviewing our positive education program in response to recent research and recommendations from the independent review. Please read the article further in the newsletter from the Positive Education Committee.

You may be aware that the State Teachers’ Union, CPSU/CSA and United Voice has announced “a community day of action” Tuesday 1st April 2014. As we get closer to this date, I will keep you informed about any implications for your child(ren).

Thank you to Miss Horrocks for providing some wonderful art work, completed by students for the office area. Frames were purchased and the art work will be changed throughout the year. Congratulations to those students who have had their art work selected for display.

Danielle Stitfold

Positive Education – A New Direction at Madeley

Merit Certificates

Parents, as you know Positive Education is one of our school priorities. Positive education can be broadly defined as "education that promotes high levels of wellbeing in students, staff and the school community.

Positive Education at Madeley has a focus on anti-bullying initiatives, values programs, student wellbeing initiatives, and social and emotional learning programs.

One of our goals as educators is to help our students become lifelong learners. We are encouraging our students to become more intrinsically motivated and less extrinsically motivated to complete a task. For example, we would expect our students to put their rubbish in the bin because they want a clean school, not because there is a chance they will get a sticker for it. We would expect our students to do all their class work so they can improve their knowledge and skills, not because they will get a stamp.

The Positive Education Committee is currently discussing alternatives to some of the extrinsic rewards that we give our students. At this stage we have decided to cease awarding CCC Merit Certificates at assemblies and any further changes to our rewards programs will be communicated to all parents in the coming month.

To further understand why we are taking this new direction, please click on the link below that details why extrinsic rewards such as merit certificates don’t promote lifelong learning and can in fact negatively effect a students’ attitude toward learning.

Thankyou
Positive Education Committee

Congratulations to our newly appointed Captains

Phys Ed and Sports News

Faction Swimming Carnival Years 4 - 7

Swimming

In-term swimming lessons commence on Monday 17th March. Please return your child’s swimming form to the class teacher with the money on or before the 7th March.

Interschool Cricket

Selected students in year 5-7 will participate in an interschool cricket carnival on Friday 14th March. A note will be sent home before the carnival.

Faction Swimming Carnival

All year 4-7 students have the opportunity to participate in the swimming carnival on Thursday 10th April. Notes will be sent home closer to the date.

Appropriate attire for Sport and Phys Ed

• Broad brim hat (students can wear their school peak cap in Term 2 & 3).
• School sport polo, regular polo or faction polo shirt.
• Navy blue shorts, skirt or skorts (no jeans please).
• Joggers (no thongs, sandals or boots please).
• Water bottle containing water only please.
• Sunscreen.

Thankyou
Mr Jarred Moon, Phys Ed Specialist

Classroom News

Apricot, April, Butter, Chicko, Charlie, Snowball, Ando, Cutie, Gemima & PJ

This term, the Year 2’s have been learning about the lifecycle of a chicken as part of our Science program. We were lucky enough to have live eggs arrive in an incubator. We observed how our chicks hatched after 21 days in their eggs. When they hatch they are very wet and tired. They use their egg tooth to crack the egg and their body to push out of the egg. When they move to the brooder they become fluffly and yellow. Their fluff is called dander. We watched them grow over two weeks and their dander began to change into feathers. It was so exciting having our baby chicks in the class. We experienced firsthand how living things grow and change.

Allison Shorten
GLA3 – Year 2

Pre-Primary Classes Pirate Fun Day

To support our jolly phonics programme the Pre Primary students were invited to dress up as Pirates and make pizzas when we introduced the letter ‘P’.

The childrens costumes were brilliant and their desire to make the teachers walk the plank scary! The pizzas were delicious too.

It was a great day and what made it even more fun was watching Miss Stitfold’s face as she was dressed up as a Pirate by the children.

Pre-Primary Hermit Crab Race Day

In Pre Primary the students are learning about water/sea. During a brainstorming session the children expressed an interest in crabs and the teachers decided to initiate a Hermit Crab race.

All the students sat in a circle and Ms Waddell bravely picked up the Hermit Crab and placed them in the middle of an outlined square.

The idea of the game was to watch the Hermit Crabs and see which Hermit Crab crawled out of the square first.

Yikes, they sure can move!

Ashdale Secondary College

As our local intake secondary school, Ashdale Secondary College wanted to share their successes from their opening to today. 2013 was a very special year for ASC as it culminated in the graduation of their foundation cohort. These students experienced a vast array of learning opportunities at ASC over the last 5 years. To ensure their success in Year 12 the following strategies were utilised:

1. Senior School Enrichment Program
2. Elevate education seminars
3. Subject specific intense tutoring
4. Mental health and well being seminars

The combined efforts of staff, students and family have resulted in an attainment rate of 94% and a graduation rate of 99.2%.

Tertiary Entrance

46 Year 12 Ashdale Secondary College students [45%] engaged in the 2013 Westralian Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) Exams and applied for Tertiary Entrance with a median Australian Tertiary Aggregrate Rank (ATAR) of 73.8. The median ATAR score of 73.8 ranked Ashdale SC as the 29th best performing Public School. Altogether 40 (87%) of students received an ATAR high enough to get into university by direct entry.

28 students (61%) achieved an ATAR greater than 70, placing Ashdale around the all State ‘Top 50’ schools for TER. Significantly, 7 students (15%) received a scaled score of 75+ in one or more courses.

11% of students received an ATAR in the 90’s (ie. in the top 10% of the State), 26% received an ATAR greater than 80 (ie. in the top 20% of the State) while 61% received an ATAR greater than 70 (ie. in the top 30% of the State).

In 2013 the top TER of 97.90 was achieved by Aleysha Parker who also was awarded the school Academic Dux and Bianca Wright the College VET Dux for the completion of their school based coursework throughout 2013.

56% of our Year 12 ATAR courses had a WACE exam mark higher than the Department of Education ‘State’ and ‘Like school’ mean average while 47% had a WACE exam mark higher than the Department of Education ‘like school’ mean average.

Vocational Education

61 Year 12 students (60%) undertook Vocational Education and Training Programs (VET) as stand alone and inclusive programs, complementing their WACE Course studies. All 61 students (100%) completed a Certificate II or higher. This placed Ashdale as 1st in the ‘First 50 VET Schools’ for Achievement and 46th in the ‘First 50 VET Schools’ for Participation.

Literacy Clinic at Ashdale Primary

The Dyslexia-SPELD Foundation (DSF) will commence after school small group literacy tutoring at Ashdale Primary in Term Two. Specialist literacy teachers will run the evidence-based SOUNDS-WRITE synthetic phonics program, suitable for students from years one to seven. Interested parents should contact Mark Jones on 9443-8323.

For more information about DSF, see http://dsf.net.au/

School Banking

Bendigo Bank Kingsway has commenced School Banking, every Tuesday morning at 8.30am in the school library, so please go and see either Jenna, Jim, Jason or Glynis who can help grow your money.

They are also our great sponsors of the Play & Learn Programme, so it would be wonderful if we can all show our appreciation and support for them.

You may also like to visit their branch at Kingsway Shopping Centre (on the outside next to Ultratune), they are open extended hours Mon – Friday 9am-5pm & Saturday 9am-12 noon.

Kingsway Community Bank® Branch of Bendigo Bank
168 Wanneroo Road Madeley WA 6065
Ph: 08 9409 3177 Fax: 08 9409 3122 Mobile: 0402 569 246
E: suza.todorovska@bendigobank.com.au

Facebook – Uniform Shop

Are you a Facebook user? Then why not join our Madeley Uniforms Facebook group to keep up to date with important news from the Uniform Shop.

Our group is closed and therefore not open to anyone other than families of Madeley Primary School. If you would like to join the group please log on to the link below and request to join the page: www.facebook.com/groups/madeleyuniforms/

Canteen

Click to download Canteen Lunch Menu

To order online go to www.ouronlinecanteen.com.au

• Go to sign up box and click on ‘Register’
• Fill out the section regarding email address and password
• Any days where the canteen is not open are marked on the calendar, and you will not be able to place an order. You will then receive an email to your nominated email address with your confirmation order
• A lunch order bag prints out in the Canteen on the morning of the order, and the lunch order is prepared.

Benefits of this system are:

• You can order up to 2 weeks ahead
• The system will save any regular/favourite orders to make ordering online even quicker.

Volunteers

Voluntary helpers are always appreciated.

Please contact Canteen Manager - Rebecca Mauk on 0402 603 343.

The canteen is conducted by the P and C Association and is its largest fundraiser. All profits made by the canteen go to the P and C which then passes them onto the school in various ways which ultimately benefits all of our children.

P and C News

Click to download Cookbook Order Form

Did you know that all profits from the Canteen go back to the P and C to then be allocated towards resources for our children that are requested by the school? So every time you order a yummy lunch you are helping to support our school community. Thank you.

Last year the P and C raised $796 through Entertainment Book sales so we are continuing with this fundraiser again this year. If you buy an Entertainment Book then why not buy it through the school? An exciting change to the book this year is the option of purchasing a paper book as usual or purchasing an app that can be downloaded to 4 different devices and shared. The book or app are $65 each and $13 from each sold goes back to the school. We will let you know when we can start taking orders.

Easter on the Green is our upcoming school community event and will be held on Friday 4th April from 5pm – 8pm on the school grounds. If you haven’t been before there will be fun activities for the kids, cake stalls, a sausage sizzle, ice-cream van, coffee van and lots of teacher run stalls. Bring along your gold coins and settle in for a fun evening with family and friends.

Thanks
Mariesa O’Donnell

Can you help?

The P and C are looking for volunteers to give a couple of hours of their time to man a cookbook stall at some upcoming events. We will have a stall at Easter on the Green - Friday 4th April, the Whitfords Lions Annual Fair, Sunday 13th April, and a stall at Darch Shopping Plaza from Thursday 27th - Saturday 29th March. A chance to have a coffee and cake with a girlfriend while raising money for our school community.

Please e-mail Tracey Rutter for more information: traceyrutter@westnet.com.au

Click here to download Keyed Up Music

Click here to download Junior Sports Flyer

Harmony Day Community Festival

We would like to invite all members of the local community for a picnic style evening with entertainment acts from various cultures. There will be some food for sale or families can bring their own picnic.

This will be a Community Festival for Harmony Day on Friday 21st March, 5.30-7.00pm for all members of the community, not just families from Ashdale Primary School.

Tania Thomas
Ashdale Primary School P and C

Click here to download Ashdale P and C Harmony Day Flyer

Handwriting Groups

What shall we do in the School Holidays

The RSPCA WA April School Holiday Program

The Easter school holidays are almost here and the RSPCA WA have everything you need to keep the kids entertained. You are certainly bound to find something that will appeal to kids of all ages between 4-14 years, we have a few favourites Junior Volunteer, RSPCA Big Day Out, Canine Capers, Cats 101 plus some new programs, all sessions have a tour included.

Check out our website www.rspcawa.asn.au or call 9209 9325, bookings for general public open 31st March and members open 24th March, we can’t wait to see you for a hopping good time.

State Library of Western Australia

As supporters of the Better Beginnings Kindergarten and Pre-Primary program you are invited to Share a Story with Australian Children’s Laureate

Jackie French at the State Library of Western Australia. This event is free, in recognition of your support of the program.

When: Tuesday 25 March, 5.30 – 6.30pm
Where: State Library Theatre

All bookings will be taken online – ONE ticket per person until all sold.

Please read the attached flyer for further information and use the embedded link to book, or go to https://slwajackiefrenchperth.eventbrite.com.au to book your place.

Please bring proof of your booking on the day.

Click here to download SLWA Jackie French Flyer

Advertising in Newsletter

If you own your own business and would like to advertise in the Newsletter please call Dion Guthrie on 07 5450 2710 or mobile 0416 890 824 and he will advise you on how to become an advertiser.