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Issue No. 8

45 Gawthorne Drive,

Millars Well, Karratha 6714

Upcoming Events

28th Nov - 8th Nov Swimming

28th Nov - Yr 6 Transition KSHS

20th Nov - ECE Parent Meeting

21st Nov - LOTE Assembly

21st Nov - Yr 6 Next Step Conference

26th Nov - Millars Got Talent Jnr

27th Nov - Millars Got Talent Snr

29th Nov - Jnr Cell Shopping Trip

Principal’s Message

IN THIS ISSUE

Principal’s Message P.1

Principal’s Message cont. P.2

Canteen, TA10 Recycling P.3

LOTE Notes P.4

Cyclone Information P.5

Community News P.6

Community News P.7

Community News P.8

Welcome back from the break. This term is extremely busy and is sure to go quickly. We have Year 6 transition to high school, Early Childhood information meeting and planning, swimming lessons, reports, end of year presentation night and Graduation among the list of things to do. If you are unsure of anything or think you’ve missed something, please ask. New Projects You may have heard that we are expecting some funding from the Department of Education. This will come in 2 forms. The first amount of approximately $32,000 is to be spent in the immediate future and will target some items we have previously identified and are targeted in our school’s Property Condition Report.

At present heading the list are replacing the operable doors, (dividers between classes) and the wooden pergola near the old under-cover area.

Our P &C have been working towards raising funds to support the replacement of operable doors as this is a significant project and together with some Dept funds we look forward to taking this a step further in the near future.

A much larger amount of funding ($1.2m), that we are really excited and pleased about will be used for a staffroom and admin upgrade. This significant and important project will be managed by the Dept

Community Newsletter

I hope that you have noticed the new aluminum benches, that have replaced many of the old wooden benches around our school. These benches have been well used and cherished for many years now but it is time for an upgrade.

We are also replacing the Friendship Chair that is at the front of the admin area around the big palm tree. The old bench has been repaired before was first put in place about 18 years ago by myself and Mr Will Poot, a parent and P &C member.- The new bench should be back in place very soon and I’m sure it will get plenty of use.

2020 Planning Will you be leaving in 2020? If you are leaving, please let us know as we are now planning school structures for next year. If you are staying and have a class placement request for your child/ren NOW is the time to put it in writing. Class placements requests can be left at the front office and marked – To The Principal Class Placement Request 2020. Be clear about your request, requests for a specific teacher at this stage of the planning process are not considered valid. Staff may have their own plans and be taking leave, relocating, or even be in a different role in 2020.

Millars Well Primary School is a collaborative, safe, vibrant school, focusing on values, literacy and numeracy. All students are empowered to realise their full potential as happy, independent, responsible members of our rapidly changing society. In achieving this vision, parents are partners in the education of their children.

Year 6 Camp Last term, our Year 6 students had an awesome camp in Coral Bay. Congratulations firstly to all the parents and friends on their amazing fundraising efforts. It has been one of the most successful years that I can recall and was really appreciated. Your generosity with time and effort was noticed. Ms Johanssen, Miss Carson and Mrs McLaren all assisted with the camp organisation and the staff that went, Mr Maxwell, Mrs Dunne, Ms Carson and Mr Aaron Reid (parent helper) ensured everyone was kept safe and had a good time. I am told that they all appreciated the student’s active participation and good behaviour as well experiencing one of the nicest places. There were lots of exciting coastal and marine activities and interactions provided at the Ningaloo Reef Adventure Camp. Children learnt a great deal about the environment, cooperation and team work. Thank you to Mr Reid for taking time out and driving our bus and supporting all staff and students during the week. Thank you to North Fleet for giving us a great deal on our transport.

Swimming Lessons commence School swimming lessons are for all students in Pre-Primary to Year 6. These lessons benefit students in teaching them essential skills to swim and survive. I encourage all students to take part in these lessons especially when many of our families have access to boating and the wonderful Pilbara coast. Students will need to bring their bathers, rashie, sunscreen, towel and hat each day.

Sunsmart It is particularly important for all children to wear a hat and as a Sun Smart school we strongly encourage this. We will be monitoring classes with high level of participation in being SunSmart and rewarding students that wear a hat each week.

Achievement Recently, NAPLAN reports were sent home with students in Year 3 and Year 5. It is recognised that students with regular attendance achieve better than students with less regular attendance. As a school, we look at whole school data and individual data to target areas of need. The results also assist in our reporting to parents’ information. If you wish to discuss any aspect of your child’s NAPLAN results please make a time with the class teacher.

Money Smart programs As part of our Money Smart program, TA9 – TA13 have been fundraising for the Kmart Wishing Tree and Salvation Army Christmas appeals. We have been supporting this cause for many years now and it is an activity that allows students to be actively involved in managing money practically.

This term the students will be going to the shopping centre to purchase items for donation with the money raised. What a fantastic way to practise math skills in real life.

There have been some amazing activities held so far and there will be one final fun activity on Friday 15th November. Students will be invited to come in free dress and donate a gold coin for the cause. This last activity will be used to fund the costs of busing to and from the shopping centre.

The Early Years Pre Primary and Kindy 2020 Thank you to the parents who responded to our survey for Kindy 2020. The annual information session for Kindy and Pre Primary 2020 parents is planned for Wednesday 20th November commencing at 8.45am in our library.

In 2020 there is currently planned two Kindy groups and two Pre Primary groups. If you know of a family still to enrol encourage them to see the school as soon as possible to secure a placement.

If there is anything you do wish to discuss please make time to see me, I will try to help. Making an appointment ensures that we have time to talk about what you want to discuss. please call to make a time -91876900

Weston Jackson Principal

The winners for this fortnight’s attendance awards: Hannah Richards, Joshua Regan and Taylor Kelly. Our first improved attendance award goes to Jake Ridley. Well done to all students who received a token for great attendance.

Millars Mess The canteen will be looking for volunteers for the remainder of the term. If you are able to assist, please pop in and see Rebecca at the canteen or follow on Facebook for days required to fill. The hours are from 8.30am to 11am Tuesday to Friday.

Rebecca Scolari, Canteen Manager

From the Library Your support in purchasing from Book club during 2018 gave us $850.78 worth of new books for the library – so a big thanks go to all of those families. In week 7 this term, we host our BOOK FAIR for 2019. Our school community always shows fantastic support to this event and the students get really excited as it approaches. It’s also a great opportunity to purchase Christmas gifts!! Purchases can be made by using the Scholastic Loop facility (credit card online from home) or using cash/ credit card at the event in our library, which will operate from Monday Nov 25th to Fri Nov 29th, 8am to 3pm. Students can purchase before and after school. Parents are welcome to come and have a look anytime in the week. Please drop in or contact me on 9187 6912 with any queries. It’s very much appreciated when parents follow up with overdue items. Please continue to keep an eye out for any MWPS library books at home.

Karen Roach, Library Officer

From The Sports Desk Representing Millars Well Primary School at the West Pilbara Interschool Athletics Carnival, hosted by Millars Well Primary and Tambrey Primary, was done so with the upmost of pride and determination by those students selected from Years 1-6. Starting in Wickham with the Jumps and Throws Carnival, Millars Well showed just how hard they have been working with a number of students winning or placing well in their events. This continued on into the Athletics Carnival where Millars Well PS placed third overall in the competition to Tambrey who were named the Champion school for this year’s carnival.

From The Sports Desk cont. Well done to all of the students and teachers involved, we all had such a wonderful day! A special mention to Ellah Chudziak for runner up senior champion girl, Charlie Lonnie for runner up junior boy and Sophia Saunders for intermediate champion girl.

Steven Maxwell, Physical Education Teacher Recycling By TA10 TA10 are very excited to have their very own recycling station in the Junior block. We are collecting bread tags and plastic bottle tops. Plastic Bottle tops

TA10 have also started to collect plastic bottle tops (milk, cream, juice, water etc). These bottle tops can be recycled however they are too small to put into our yellow top recycling bins. When we have a sizable amount of bread tags and bottle tops they will be delivered to a local community member who will transport them to Perth. ‘Bread Tags for Wheelchairs’

‘Bread Tags for Wheelchairs’ has been recycling bread tags in South Africa since 2006. They currently collect about 500kg/month, which funds 2-3 wheelchairs. They now collect in Australia.

The bread tags are repurposed into a range of products such as seedling trays, picture frames, door knobs, coat hangers and more. The money earned from selling the tags is used to buy wheelchairs for people who can’t afford them (purchased through pharmacies). https://plasticfreephillipislandsanremo.org/news/bread-tags-for-wheelchairs

Please bring in your plastic bottle

tops and bread tags!

Ann McComb, Teacher

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Konnichiwa from O’Brien Sensei,

Today we look will look at common language used at home

When you leave the house you say ‘Itte kimasu!’

(I’m going and shall return)

In return the person staying behind will say ‘Itte-rasshai’ (I wait your return)

Upon return you say ‘Tadaima’ (I have returned)

The person at home will say ‘Okaerinasai’ (welcome home)

When at the dinner table to say thank you to everyone who has help prepare your meal from the grower

through to the cook you say ‘itadakimasu’ and bring your hands together as in prayer.

And when you have finished you say

‘Gochisou sama deshita’ also meaning thank you.

It’s finally time to go to bed ‘Oyasumi nasai’

When pronouncing words, remember to chunk consonant vowel and the vowel sounds are

a- part, i-pit, u-put, e-pet, o-pot .

Mata ne.

millarswellps.wa.edu.au

CYCLONE INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

Cyclone Watch/Warning: Children are to attend school as per normal.

Blue Alert In a blue alert the school will usually remain open. If a Yellow Alert is predicted and likely to be declared at some time during the school day the school will not open and children are to remain at home. If the school is to close, this information will be broadcasted via the following local radio stations. Emergency information is broadcasted at approximately ¼ past the hour. The frequency of the updates will depend on the type of cyclone alert. School closure will be broadcasted between 6.15am and 7.45am.

ABC Radio (Official Broadcast)

Spirit Radio (Unofficial Broadcast) The closure advice will be repeated each morning until the decision to re-open the school is made by the DDG after discussion with the RED. Principals will then by notified that a school can reopen School buses may be affected at this stage. Any change to the bus operation will be given on the radio at the above times. PLEASE DO NOT RING THE SCHOOL. All information and updated reports relating to the warnings and school closure ARE ISSUED ON THE RADIO. Please keep yourself informed.

Yellow Alert If a Yellow Alert is declared during a school day, the following will occur:

Yellow Alert before 12:00: – students can be picked up immediately from their classroom. The school will close at lunch time. Students will not be sent home until collected by, or instructions are received from parents.

Yellow alert after 12:00: – students can be picked up immediately from their classroom. The school will close at the usual time. Students will not be sent home until instructions are received from parents.

Yellow alert after 14:00: - If a Yellow Alert is called at or after 2.00pm schools will generally be closed the following day. Please continue to listen to the radio to receive information as to when schools will open. The above does not preclude immediate closure in extenuating circumstances and if deemed necessary by the Cyclone Committee.

Red Alert The School will remain closed during a Red Alert.

In the event that a Red Alert is proclaimed after 2.00pm, schools will remain closed the following day.

In the event that a Red Alert is proclaimed after 2.00pm but subsequently cancelled, the Regional Executive Director in consultation with the Cyclone Committee has the discretion to ensure that schools open the following day.

AFTER THE CYCLONE If a Red Alert is called after 2.00pm schools will generally be closed the following day to allow for assessment and repair of serious damage. Please continue to listen to the radio to receive information as to when schools will open. Staff and students cannot return or enter school grounds until the school has been assessed and meets all safety and health standards

Please keep yourself informed via the radio, until all threats from the cyclone is past.

Millars Well will be supporting the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal again this year. We would love it if families could support us by donating any of the following items non-perishable items: Christmas Bon Bons, Cordial Christmas Puddings, Packets of Chips/Shapes Christmas Cake/ Fruit mince pies, Breakfast Cereal Coffee/ Tea, Non-alcoholic drinks Long life Custard, Tinned Ham Long life Full Cream Milk, Tinned Vegetables Long Life Fruit Juice Items can be dropped into the office up until the 16th December! All donations will go to families in need in the Pilbara.