* Antoinette out Thursday 22^nd Feb, back in office Tuesday 5th March

*Craft Club Tuesdays Weeks 2-7 in Term 1 

*Garden Club Thursdays Weeks 2-8 in Term 1

Sean and I will be out of school together with Kirsty and Shelda for the 2024 Quality Teaching Strategies forum. Jan will be in the office next Thursday and Friday together with Louise. Therefore next week Jan will be working Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. This ensures there will be 2 admin available at all times next week.

There have been a few queries on how to find the staff relief lists in Compass. Please see attached image for directions. If you require assistance, please see Kirsty.

If you have any spare bread bags (with or without ties) or unwanted paper bags can you please bring them in and put them in the staff room? The breakfast club need them, and left over bags can be used for staff to take home extra bread on Wednesdays.

Will be held on Friday 22rd March. On this day students will be encouraged to wear orange and roll into school with their best wheels! They are able to decorate their wheels and grab some fruit on the way in to school. More information will come out soon – however it will run very similar to last year with three meeting points outside the schools for people to meet at and ride into school together.

The Social Committee are looking at putting together a Paint and Sip evening which may be hosted in the Staff Room. They are just working out different options to try and keep costs down. Watch this Space!

Quinns Beach get together is back on! Write your name on the page in the staff room if you are interested in getting up for an early morning swim at the beach. Sean has kindly organised for the club rooms to be open, where we can have brekkie and a shower to get changed etc.

Breakfast and hot/cold drinks will be organised for those coming.

Last year there were a group who came for a swim and a group that went for a walk… we could do the same again

Therapy has started in J Block, this week. There are lots of resources in the compactus which you can go and help yourself to at any time – however if you can prioritise before and after school to collect or return resources this would be great – just to minimise the impact to therapy sessions. It is ok to go during class time if this can't be avoided though.

Antoinette has sent out a couple of documents to help you understand the types of leave you accrue and preservation ages etc.

This document does not go into on what terms you are able to access your leave. Personal leave is the leave we accrue each year which rolls over if it is not used. Despite the term “personal leave” you are not able to take this leave whenever you like for whatever you like. That type of leave is left to Long Service Leave.

Personal Leave – Planned, unplanned, Is for leave such as sick leave, carers leave, emergency leave, and appointments that cannot be taken outside of school hours etc. If you take more than 2 consecutive days of personal leave department policy states you are required to produce evidence of why the leave is being taken. Personal leave is not for you to use however you want to e.g. go to the movies, get away down south for a long weekend etc.

Below is an email I received, where universities joined together to research on the perceptions of WA teachers and school support staff in relation to LGBTQIA+ inclusion in WA schools. 

We are now in a position to share some of the initial results of our research and would like to invite interested educators to join us for a sundowner at Curtin University on March 6, 4.30pm. 

Please see the attached flyer with further details of the event and information on how to register. 

Mitch Tambo, the Aussie World Music Star and Support Act ambassador, is set to kick off his 'Walanbaa Youth Tour.' We'd love to invite you to consider having Mitch come to your place of learning during this fantastic tour.

Mitch's presentations are not just informative but also a whole lot of fun. As a qualified social worker, he effortlessly connects with children and young people making his sessions extra engaging and impactful. Covering cool topics like culture, identity, self-care, and empowerment, Mitch tailors his workshops to match the needs of children or young people.

See attachments for more information. If you are interested, and would like to organise an incursion, the school is able to subsidise some of the cost for students.

Sensorium – Excursion

Dear friends hope your 2024 is off to a great start - We invite you and your students to see Sensorium’s new show ‘Wonderbox’ in Perth City Week 3,  Term 2!!!!! It will be the last chance to see it in Perth before it heads off on a national tour in August this year.

Wonderbox is a multi-sensory relaxed performance that explores Curiosity, Choice, Wonder and Celebration. Please take a look at the promotional video here: Final WONDERBOX (vimeo.com)

Where: State Theatre Centre, Northbridge, Perth

Price: $650/show for approximately 15 students plus their teachers and EA’s

Times: 10am and 12.45 pm daily

Dates: Mon 29 April, Tues 30 April & Thurs 2 May, Fri 3 May

As always, Sensorium put a lot of thought into how best to meet the needs of a diversity of students. Their recognition of how students with a range of disabilities need their needs met are to be applauded. Brilliant and professional everytime, they have never let us down.     Educator Sir David Brand school

It has been made for children with disability, including those with high support needs and complex communication as well as those on the Autism Spectrum. All performances are “relaxed”. The performers use multi-modal communication including live music, strong visuals, key signs and limited language. There is an adjacent chill out space for any students who need a sensory break. Audience members are invited to enjoy the performance in their own way and are free to move around, join in and explore.  A social story and other preparation materials support student engagement.

Again school can subsidise this excursion if anyone is interested in taking their class.