NEWSLETTER - Oberthur Primary School

Oberthur Primary School
Nicholls Crescent
BULL CREEK WA 6149
Phone: 93323212
Fax: 93328273
NEWSLETTER
18th December 2014
No 21. Term 4
Dear
Parents,
Community,
Teachers,
Students
and
Welcome to Week 10 Term 4
COMING EVENTS
Year 6 Graduation
P&C Meeting (celebration)
Year 7 Graduation
ANOTHER
FANTASTIC
OBERTHUR
YEAR!
2014 has turned out to be another stellar year!
The students have done us all proud yet again.
They have stepped up and performed at high
levels in so many areas including: academic
performance, competitions, choir, instrumental
music, Chinese dance, Wushu, Edu-dance,
swimming, athletics, sport, Chinese Study Tour,
camps, excursions, etc, etc.
Thank you so much to the P&C executive and
members whose commitment and sheer hard
work has resulted in terrific social events and
fundraising that contributes to the whole school.
Thanks also to the School Board members who
have given their time freely to help guide the
school’s directions and development.
Sincere thanks to all Oberthur staff who strive
incessantly to provide the best opportunities for
all students to achieve to their potential.
Have a wonderful holiday season and join us
once again in 2015. Students commence on 2nd
February.
SURVEYS
Thank you to the families who took part in the
recent Parent Survey. We have received a
preliminary report, which gives us some
interesting information to assist our forward
planning. A full report will be presented to the
School Board in February.
SCHOOL BOARD MEETING
The next Board meeting is on Tuesday 10th
February at 7.30pm in the conference room.
P&C MEETING
The next meeting of the P&C is on Tuesday 17th
February at 7.30pm in the staffroom. Come and
join the first meeting for 2015. All parents are
welcome.
AWARDS – EDUDANCE ASSEMBLY
The Edudance and Awards assembly on Friday
12th December was absolutely terrific.
Congratulations to all award winners. Thanks to
Mr J and the Edudance staff for a terrific
program.
REPORTS
Most reports were distributed on Monday 15th
December. If parents have any queries, please
contact class teachers before Thursday.
8.50am
7.30pm
8.50am
Tues 16 Dec
Tues 16 Dec
Thurs 18 Dec
Last Day of Term Four
Thurs 18 Dec
Class lists & Uniform Shop
Fri 30 Jan 2015
First Day of Term One 2015
Mon 2 Feb 2015
YEAR SIX GRADUATION
The first ever group of Year 6 students to
graduate enjoyed their special ceremony on
Tuesday. It was a terrific celebration and we
thank all guests and parents and the teachers
involved. Best wishes to all Year 6 students for a
smooth transition to high school education.
YEAR 7 GRADUATION
The last ever group of Year 7 students will
graduate today, 18th December commencing at
8.50am. We wish them a wonderful high school
experience.
SCHOOL APP – Please subscribe
Oberthur’s smartphone app is now available for
free download from App Store or Android
Market (just search for “Oberthur PS”).
Newsletters are available on the app and there are
links to the school website and other links. We
are now able to send notifications direct to
parents phones.
CHAPLAIN
As you may be aware, we were unsuccessful in
our application to continue the Chaplain Program
for the next two years. Due to a change in
Federal Government funding and policy we are
one of 100 public primary schools to have lost
funding. We are endeavouring to negotiate to
continue the program but we will need to raise
funds to enable the program to continue and to
retain Gerda’s services in 2015. We will try to
keep you up to date with developments.
ATTENDANCE IN 2015
School commences for students on Monday 2nd
February. If families are expecting to arrive back
from holidays later than this we will need a letter
of advice as we can only count the number of
students attending school by the 12th February,
when we complete the electronic census.
This is most important as it affects our total
funding for 2015.
Your cooperation is
appreciated.
STAFFING
Nicole Campbell has taken over Area 9 for Term
Four and done a great job. Chia Ooi has relieved
in Area 5 for three terms. Divya Thomas has
worked part-time in various areas during the last
two years.
We thank you all for your
contributions and wish you well for the future.
Also leaving for full-time work is He Jing, our
advanced Chinese Assistant, thank you for your
hard work. Stephanie Tredinnick will be taking
family leave for 2015 and we wish her well in
that endeavour. Chez Greig will be relieving at
Wandering Primary School for next year. Paula
Yates has been an important part of the school’s
development over many years and she will be on
leave for all of 2015 and possibly beyond. There
are not enough words to convey our appreciation
for all you have done. Best wishes for a great
time ahead. Tracey Lewis has contributed to the
school as a parent, P&C President and member,
as well as an employee is also leaving us at the
end of the year. Thank you so much for your
many contributions.
In 2015 we welcome back Mr Don McLeish in a
part-time role. Mrs Vita Velletri will take a role
in the Year 2 Immersion Program next year. Mrs
Jakinta Durell and Mrs Sharon Grant will be
additions to the staff for 2015. Hannah Smith
will take Music for next year. We welcome you
all.
STUDENTS 2015
If any families are moving away for 2015 it
would be most helpful if we know of any
students who will not return for next year. If this
applies to you it would be great if you could
advise the office or your child’s teacher. Early
planning of our class structure is essential to
ensure appropriate placements. Thank you for
your cooperation.
PARKING ISSUES
Please do not park on corners, at intersections, in
No Standing zones or half on verges. It creates
dangerous situations.
Please remember to update your family details,
including email address, by contacting the front
office or advising of changes by email to
connie.parfitt@education.wa.edu.au
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
Enjoy your break!
Tim Bamber,
Principal
The next Virtue we will be working on:
RELIABILITY: Reliability means that others
can depend on you to keep your commitments.
Reliability is doing something that you have
agreed to do in a predictable way, without
forgetting or having to be reminded.
WATER WISE PROGRAM
Soak lawns every few days instead of a small
amount every day. Small amounts of water are
more likely to evaporate before penetrating the
soil. You’ll also help your lawn become more
drought resistant and develop a strong root
system.
WASTE FREE WEDNESDAY
The Oberthur Primary School Litter Busting
Committee is concerned with the amount of litter
around our school.
As a result we are
encouraging students to participate in a Waste
Free Wednesday in Term 4.
•
•
CLASS LISTS 2015
Class lists will be displayed on the south side of
the Conference Room on Friday, 30th January at
1pm. Please check later in the newsletter for
Uniform Shop times at the start of next year.
LOST PROPERTY
Please check the Lost Property basket in the
Undercover Area. Parents - to assist with the
redistribution of lost property please ensure
jumpers, hats and other clothing are clearly
named.
EARLY ARRIVALS
Any students who arrive at school before 8.30am
must sit quietly on the benches outside the staff
room.
Students are encouraged to bring their
Crunch & Sip, recess and lunch in waste
free packaging including reusable plastic
containers.
The Litter Busting Team will go around
and give out prizes for students with
waste free lunches.
SCHOOL BANKING
School Banking will be on Thursday 18th
December from 8.15am to 8.45am.
GIFT AND TALENTED SECONDARY
SELECTIVE ENTRANCE PROGRAMS
If your child is going into Year 6 next year,
applications are now open for entry into Year 7 in
2016. Limited places may also be available for
children going into Years 9, 10 and 11 in 2016.
Applications for these elite program close
Monday 9 February 2015. For more information
Phone 9264 4307
Email: gate@education.wa.edu.au or visit
www.education.wa.edu.au/giftedandtalented
P & C NEWS
Any queries please feel free to contact the P&C
at email: oberthurpnc@gmail.com
Oberthur Primary School Parents And Citizens
Association (Inc.) Uniform Shop
www.oberthurpandc.org.au
How Do I Purchase Uniforms?
OPTION 1:
• Purchase uniforms from the Uniform Shop
located in the Middle Wet Area (near Areas 5
to 8) during scheduled opening times (listed
below).
OPTION 2:
• Place your completed order form and payment
in the box at the front office.
• Payment can be made by cheque made
payable to “Oberthur Primary School P&C”
or cash (correct amount preferred).
• Orders will be processed weekly and
delivered to your child’s classroom. If items
are unavailable or on back-order, you will be
notified by text or email.
2015 OPENING TIMES – TERM 1
Friday 30th January 2015
3.00pm - 4.30pm
Wednesday 4th February 2015 2.40pm - 3.15pm
Wednesday 18th February 2015 2.40pm - 3.15pm
Wednesday 4th March 2015
2.40pm - 3.15pm
Wednesday 18th March 2015 2.40pm - 3.15pm
Wednesday 1st April 2015
2.40pm - 3.15pm
ST. THOMAS MORE CATHOLIC CHURCH
Enrolments for classes will be on Wednesday 4th
February 2015 between 4pm and 5pm. For
enquiries please contact Jenny Figliomeni on
9310 1747 or 0435 695 399.
MELVILLE AQUATIC CENTRE
‘Come & See, Come & Try’ Synchro Swimming
session at the Melville Aquatic Centre during the
last week of the upcoming holidays. The girls:
Make new friends, Develop communication
skills, Water safety awareness, Improve rhythm
and coordination, Explore creativity, Enhance
cognitive and proprioceptive skills, Have fun
being active in a positive environment
Experienced Synchronised Swimmers will
demonstrate routines and skills in the water, and
then be on deck to help the coaches teach the
novice swimmers who turn up on the day. There
is no need to book – simply come along!
Wednesday January 28th 2pm - 4pm
For more information www.synchrowa.com
TENNIS LESSONS SCHOOL HOLIDAY
CLINIC
3.00pm to 4.30pm
2.40pm to 3.15pm
2.40pm to 3.15pm
2.40pm to 3.15pm
2.40pm to 3.15pm
2.40pm to 3.15pm
2.40pm to 3.15pm
In order for the P&C to offer this service, we rely
completely on the generosity of volunteers.
Please be thoughtful of this when placing your
orders.
If you are available to help, please do contact us!
COMMUNITY NEWS
LEEMING DENTAL THERAPY CENTRE
Will be closed from 18th December for the School
Holidays.
In a Dental Emergency please phone the
following clinics:
Bannister Creek DTC
18/12/14
8:00am–4:00pm 9451 1761
Caralee DTC
19/12/14
8:00am–4:00pm 9337 6818
Mt Henry DTC
22/12/14–23/1/15 8:15am–4:30pm 9313 0552
(Excluding week ends and public holidays)
Caralee DTC
27/1/15–30/1/15 8:00am–4:00pm 9337 6818
Outside of these hours please phone 9325 3452
We will re-open Monday 2/2/2015 at 8:15am
Thanks you and have a Happy Christmas
EXCUSES 2 EXERCISE
Kids are welcome to come and do a mini Bootcamp
Bootcamp too.
Immersion Program Newsletter
Semester 2, 2014
Dear Parents,
The extension of the Chinese Immersion Program into Year One this year has demonstrated increased
student success in raising the bar of knowledge and understanding of Chinese Mandarin through a
continuation of six and a half hours of curriculum content delivered in Mandarin each week. Including the
three new Pre-primary classes, we have had seven classes involved in the Immersion Program, a total of
166 students.
Next year in 2015 we extend the program into four Year Two classes with 6.5 hours and this will mean a
total of ten classes and an estimated 240 students involved in the program. The program will continue to
include Science, Chinese Literacy, Maths and some other areas delivered in Mandarin.
The students have been so receptive and have enjoyed the Chinese aspect of the learning program, which
has resulted in them exceeding all our expectations in Chinese language learning.
There has been a lot of interest from outside of the school and several visits for teachers from other schools
and sectors have been organised during the year. Mrs Zhang, Mrs Farrell and I were invited to present
sessions at this year’s Modern Language Teachers Association State Conference in September.
We also recently had a visit to the school by the Minster for Education, Peter Collier accompanied by the
Member for Bateman, Matt Taylor. The Minister was impressed by Oberthur and the achievements of our
students across the school. He also said that he found the Chinese Immersion Program students were
awesome and he praised the teachers and students for a fantastic job.
I need to thank Mrs Zhang, our Chinese Language Coordinator, the Chinese Immersion teachers, the
classroom teachers and assistants for a terrific collaborative effort.
We also thank our wonderful, supportive parents for their support of this innovative and unique program.
Best wishes
Tim Bamber,
Principal
Pre-primary Immersion in 2014
In the six and half hours per week face to face “Chinese only” sessions, students have learned fundamental
movement skills, obstacle course in the yard, Chinese language and culture, as well as some mathematics
lessons in Chinese. Their speaking and listening is very impressive, students can respond to daily classroom
greetings, instructions and questions. They can also recite dates of the week, the weather chart and count in
tens in the target language. The wonderful family tree that the kids made is a good example of integrated
learning of Chinese and History. To mirror the English literacy, students are also encouraged to read simple
Chinese books and learn basic Chinese characters through reading comprehension. Our young learners in
Pre primary have shown great enthusiasm and confidence in classes. You can hear not only the students but
the teachers, assistants, and the parents speaking Chinese sometimes!. Overall, Pre-Primary students have
had a great kick off in this first year bilingual program.
Quotes from students:
“ I like to sing songs in Chinese!” – Aiden PP3
“ I like to write Chinese words because I can write them!” – Denise PP2
“ Bingo game is my favourite Chinese activity because I know all of them? – Yi Lin – PP1
Year 1 Immersion in 2014
It has been a busy and fruitful year for the Year One Immersion Class in 2014. Year One classes and
Immersion teachers have been working collaboratively to ensure that the program delivers the newly
implemented Australian Curriculum effectively and efficiently. Students have learnt measurement and
geometry, data, science, visual arts and Chinese literacy during Chinese Immersion lessons. It is extremely
encouraging to see how much students have improved this year, not just in their language skills but also
their abilities to achieve standards stated in the Australian Curriculum, despite learning the concepts in
Chinese.
With 2014 coming to an end soon, the Chinese Immersion Assembly serves as a great platform for students
to communicate in Chinese to the wider public. Students have been practising enthusiastically and singing
to their family members, even teaching their siblings the songs.
It has certainly been a rewarding year and we are all looking forward to seeing your child continue to
enjoy learning while stimulating different parts of their brain in 2015.
SNAP SHOTS FROM THE IMMERSION PROGRAM 2014
PP1Maths time with the Hon Minister Collier
and Mr Matt Taylor MLA Member of Bateman
PP3 matchstick words
Area 1 asking the Hon Minister Collier questions
PP2 Chinese calligraphy fun
Area 2 Learning Science “Season Changes”
Area 4 Visual Arts and Chinese rhymes
Area 3 Maths “ Times” in action