ELC Updates & Reminders - 3.12.24
PLEASE NOTE THAT SEVERAL ITEMS ARE INCLUDED IN THIS SECTION.
To view them all, select ‘EXPAND ALL’ above or select ‘MORE’ below.
ACCESSING LINKS WHICH MAY BE PROVIDED IN THESE BULLETINS
If you are not able to access links via your phone, please contact our IT Department at it@stmarks.wa.edu.au as it is important that all our families are able to access various links when they are provided. Our IT Department will be able to talk you through the steps to make this possible. Alternatively, the School App can be downloaded to another device (tablet or pc).
NOTICE FROM HEAD OF PRIMARY
Dear Parents and Carers
What a sprint to the finish we’ve had! This week, we farewell our Year 5 students with a heartfelt graduation service and a memorable river cruise. On Friday, we are excited for our final event of the year - the Junior School End of Year Assembly. This special occasion celebrates individual achievements and serves as a wonderful conclusion to the school year.
This year, my address will focus on the tremendous progress our students have made in mathematics and reading. I am incredibly proud of their efforts in 2024. Our students have continued to grow into avid readers, thanks to the commitment of our teachers and the strong partnership we have with parents. Reading is a cornerstone of educational success, and I deeply appreciate the role families play in prioritising this at home. I would really like this reading commitment to continue into the holidays.
A special thanks to Mrs Fransz and Mrs Lindsay, who will once again open the Primary Library during the Christmas holidays. These sessions allow students to exchange books and continue their reading journeys. Please refer to the article below to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.
This year we bid farewell to Mrs Denham, Mrs Raymond, Mrs Debbie Birsa and Mr Hummerston. Retirement and/or new adventures await in 2025 and I wish them all the best for the next journey in their lives and thank them for their service to our school community.
Looking ahead to 2025, Year 5 students will participate in our Term 1 bicycle education program - a mix of fun and fitness! If your child is entering Year 5, the summer holidays are a great time to refresh their cycling skills. This preparation will help ensure a smooth and enjoyable start to the program. Additionally, Term 1 will feature In-term swimming lessons, which will build on any holiday swimming experiences your children may enjoy. I expect the warmer weather will be welcomed by the students too. Please note that Year 5 surfing lessons will stay in their regular place in Term 4.
The holiday season is a time for relaxation and creating precious family memories. In the long run, children may not remember the gifts they receive, but they will cherish the moments spent with loved ones. In my own family, we often laugh about lessons I give my children about 'real' music during our holiday drives - it’s these small moments that stay with us.
I wish all our families a safe, joyful, and adventure-filled holiday season. I can’t wait to hear about the stories and escapades - perhaps with some creative embellishments - when the students return in the new year. Finally, for those who are looking to attend a Christmas service with their family, please read the message from our School Chaplain, Reverend Mark Davis, below.
Mark Douglas
Head of Primary
NOTICE FROM DEPUTY HEAD OF PRIMARY – EARLY LEARNING
Dear ELC Parents and Carers
ELC FAREWELL 2024
On behalf of the entire ELC team, we would like to thank families and carers for working together with us to support the St Mark’s ELC children to develop strong foundations for learning and life. The children have been able to trust and rely upon a consistent, caring network of secure relationships between home and school. For us, this is the kind of care that goes beyond a ‘duty of care’. We share a special approach to honouring care and education in an inclusive school setting, coming from a genuine place of love for children and their individual uniqueness.
I would like to thank all families for working together with us through coming on class helper rosters, attending special events, excursions, and performances; for supporting our sustainability initiatives and rosters, washing, handy jobs, parent group support and the list goes on.
We value the incidental conversations at reception, on drive through or at the classroom door, along with the more serious communications regarding your child’s development and engagement at school. Thank you for supporting and reinforcing the weekly Learning Intentions through reading, talking, and engaging with your child. With your support, the children in our Early Learning Centre have thrived. This partnership is crucial in influencing your child to develop the skills and understandings they need to interact positively with school in the future.
I have included some links you may find helpful for navigating the long holiday break until school returns in 2025.
https://strengthheroes.com.au/free-activities-for-kids-perth-school-holidays
https://parentingplace.nz/resources/an-st-home-school-holiday-guide
I wish those families that are moving from the ELC to the Junior School or elsewhere, a very heartfelt ‘farewell’, but not goodbye. Please pop back into the ELC and say “Hi” in the future. We will remember you and the times that we had together in the ELC. We would love to know how you get on in the years ahead. I look forward to seeing everyone else back in the ELC in 2025 for more fun.
I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy new year.
Warm regards
Linda Sweet
Deputy Head of Primary – Early Learning
K-Y1 STUDENT MEDICATIONS HELD IN THE ELC TO BE COLLECTED AT END OF TERM
If we currently have medications held in the ELC for your child (eg. inhalers, epipens, daily medications, etc.) please ensure these are collected on your child’s last day of school. Thank you. Please check the expiry dates during the holidays and return any necessary medications and updated Action Plans to the ELC on Day 1 of school next year. Thank you. Medications for 2025 Year 2 students will need to be taken to the Health Centre on Day 1 of school next year.
HELP STILL NEEDED FOR THE ELC OUTDOOR ENVIRONMENT ROSTER
We still need parent helpers for watering during the school holidays. The link to the roster is available in a separate section in this Bulletin 'PARENT COMMITMENT HOUR OPPORTUNITIES IN THE ELC' or via the link provided below. Please add your name to the roster if you are able to help – your assistance would be very much appreciated. Thank you.
ELC Outdoor Enviro Volunteer Roster
CHILD COLLECTION ARRANGEMENTS FOR 2025
Online Forms
Please note that links to online forms regarding child collections will go out to our 2025 ELC families in late January for parents to complete prior to school commencing
as we do need parent permission for others to collect your child/children and we also need to know when your child/children will be collected on drive through so that they can be waiting for collection at the correct location. Please note that new
lists will need to be created for 2025 and information provided previously in 2024 will not be carried over. Please ensure these forms are completed prior to school commencing in order to keep notifications of child collections via phone or email to a minimum during the first few weeks. Thank you.
Links will be provided for two separate online forms:
- One form will be for Week 1 only as it will not be possible to process all ELC regular arrangements in time for Day 1 of Term 1. Families will only need to complete this form IF they will be collecting their child via drive through during Week 1 or IF someone other than a parent will be collecting their child during Week 1.
- The other form will be for ALL ELC FAMILIES to complete, so that lists of all children in each class can be created onto which any REGULAR drive through collection arrangements and permissions for others to collect can be recorded and updated as necessary for the remainder of 2025. Information provided via this form will only be used from Week 2 onwards.
Childcare – Giggling Gecko
It has been noticed that the childcare centre next door, Giggling Gecko, has been asking parents to ensure St Mark’s is advised if arrangements have been put in place for their children to be collected by them in 2025. If you have already sent an email to the ELC regarding this, please ensure this information is included in the online forms in January. Thank you.
Y2-5 Child Collections
Please be aware that collection arrangement lists are not maintained in the Junior School for Year 2 to 5 students. Please ensure that Y2-5 students are aware of their collection arrangement before school every day.
TERM 4 ELC EVENT DATES
- ELC END OF YEAR ACTIVITIES (Teachers will provide any necessary information via SEESAW unless indicated otherwise)
Kindy Starfish: Tuesday 3 December – Water Splash, Christmas Lunch & Movie in the PAC;
Wednesday 4 December – last day of school
Kindy Turtles: Thursday 5 December – Water Splash;
Friday 6 December – Christmas Lunch & Movie in the PAC (last day of school)
Pre-Primary: Thursday 5 December - Decadance Disco Excursion
(information provided via Consent2Go – parents will need to respond);
Friday 6 December – Movie in the PAC
Year 1: Thursday 5 December – Silent Disco in the PAC;
Friday 6 December – Movie in the PAC - LAST DAY OF TERM 4 – Friday 6 December
Please note that the ELC will be closed from Wednesday 11 December until Tuesday 21 January and any communications via email to ELC Reception will only be responded to after 21 January. Thank you. - SEMESTER 2 REPORTS – Released Monday 9 December (date confirmed)
- TERM 1 2025
Term 1 commences on Monday 3 February for Primary and Secondary students
Kindergarten Starfish will commence their part time transition program on Monday 3 February
Kindergarten Turtles will commence their part time transition program on Thursday 6 February
