Newsletter - Issue No.116

Mrs Gallagher-Simeons – Principal

Dear Families,

Thank you!

It is with great sadness that I will be leaving East Butler Primary school at the end of this year. I am leaving because I have reached the age of retirement. The Department have wished me well and thanked me for all my hard work. I could continue working but at my choice, I have decided it is time to travel and enjoy the finer things in life.

During my time as Principal at East Butler Primary School, I have achieved and celebrated all the following:

• Contracted after school care
• Commemorated the 10 years of the school functioning
• Held key cultural events including the Lion Dancers, African Drummers
• Open parent events working with their children on maths activities.
• Introduced a specialist science program
• Talent Quizzes including the East Butler X Factor
• Won sustainability awards for the school
• Introduced Achievers WA to tutor our students
• Pocket Forest and future Murdoch University liaison
• Multi Age Academic Class
• Improved technology throughout the school
• Positive behaviour in Schools (PBS)
• Talk For Writing
• Reading Fluency
• Teaching for Impact
• Pastoral Care including Everyday Matters, Chaplain, social group lessons, hampers for families, providing lunches for students and continuing Breakfast Club
• Developed the Yarning Circle
• Major works around the school particularly drainage
• Sporting clinics such as tennis, hockey, golf, gymnastics
• Started the Malcolm Skeggs East Butler Primary School Choir
• External services such as WANSLEA, Uniting Care, Occupational and Speech Therapists
• Supported graduate and pre-service teachers, education assistants and work placements
• Trained staff in Trauma response training, risk management, Autism and disability management.
• Supported the P&C and proud of their achievements
• Worked directly with the students and assisted them in developing important life skills through shared concern and building their own toolkit of strategies.
• Employed high quality staff who have genuine care for their students
• Effective day to day running of the school

It is with great sadness that we say goodbye to the following staff members who will be leaving us at the end of this year.  We wish them all the best with their future endeavours:

Mrs Gilchrist

Ms Evans

Mrs Thorp

Mr Seymour

Miss McEloney

Mrs Witts

Miss Goddard

Mrs Turvill

Mrs McLeod

Miss Porritt

Mrs Anzai

I cannot say thank you enough to my Deputies. They are so patient and kind with the children whilst following the expectations of the Education Department. Please treat them kindly in the future, they are only doing their job.

I have the utmost respect and admiration for my teaching team. Teachers have so much to do, and the expectations are very high, but these teachers do it with a heart full of song. They take the academic planning very seriously and teach with vigour in order to complete the expectations of the curriculum. There are so many jobs in schools that the community are not aware of, and our teachers attend to these duties well. I thank them from the bottom of my heart.

I cannot thank the Education Assistants enough for ever being present, working with individuals and the whole class, their level of training helps them to cope with children who have varying degrees of disability.

My MCS and the school officers are my treasures. Without their assistance the school would not be able to survive the year. There is so much administration work in schools and these ladies are efficient and effective at doing these jobs as well as placing children in class, welcoming parents and visitors to school, and attending to any issue that may arise and finding the correct person to deal with it. They are always very busy and very calm.

My gardener has a very challenging job with the size of the grounds. As with any job, there are rules and regulations surrounding what can be done. Our gardens look so pristine because of the work our gardener does, and we thank him for his commitment to the job and admire his boundless energy.

I want to thank the cleaners for their commitment to our school and commend them on a job well done. These people work outside of the hours of the children and work consistently to clean the areas the children use during the day.

I have really enjoyed working with all of you and your children and watching them grow. I wish everyone a very Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and every success for you all in the future.

Wendy Gallagher-Simeons
Principal

Deputy Principal

East Butler Primary School would like to extend a sincere thank you to No Limits, Sacred Heart College, Professionals Brighton, Eat Up, and Diane Wearne for supplying food and helping feed our children. It simply couldn't be possible without the fantastic community support. Thank you all. 

East Butler would also like to thank Achievers WA which has now finished for the year. Thank you so much to the volunteers and mentors who have been supporting our children each Saturday. We look forward to this continuing next year and many more of our students being involved. 

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all the staff and students of East Butler a wonderful Christmas and a safe and happy New Year.

Michelle Head
Deputy Principal

My New Gallery

Deputy Principal

Semester 2 Reports

Semester 2 reports for all students (K-6) are now available on Connect. To open your child's report:

1. Log into Connect
2. Select 'My Children' from the menu bar
3. Select the child's name and click on Reports
4. Select Semester 2 report and open/download

Note: If you have more than one child at the school, you can switch between them by selecting the icon at the top left-hand corner just below the Connect logo.

2025 Student Roles

We are pleased to congratulate the following students who have been appointed to important new roles for 2025:

Michael Williams
Deputy Principal

Manager Corporate Services

2024 Contributions

Thank you to all the families that have paid their 2024 Contributions, it is greatly appreciated as the funds received so far have supported your child’s education by enabling the school to purchase extra materials, services, and resources. 

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries regarding your contributions or other needs of your child.

I wish all our families a joyous and safe Christmas.

Kind regards
Jae Halden
Manager Corporate Services

Dates to Note:

Last Day of School in 2024  

Thursday, 12^th December is the last day of school for students in 2024! Students will return to school on Wednesday, 5^th February 2025.

Important Dates in 2025  

Thursday, 12^th December is the last day of school for students in 2024! Students will return to school on Wednesday, 5^th February 2025.

Thursday 12^th December 2024 – Last Day of Term 4
Wednesday 29^th January 2025 – School Office Re-opens
Wednesday 5^th February 2025 – First Day of Term 1 for students

School Development Days in 2025  

                                Monday, 3^rd February 2025
                                Tuesday, 4^th February 2025
                                 Friday, 30^th May 2025
                                 Friday, 29^th August 2025
                                 Monday 13^th October 2025

Book Awards Assembly

Book Awards Assembly

Well done to all our 2024 Book Award Winners.  You have all excelled this year and should be very proud of yourselves.  Your commitment to learning is commendable and we wish you all the very best for your future learning endeavours. 

Year 6 Graduation

We would like to wish the Year Six students all the very best on their new adventure next year. It has been wonderful to see their maturity grow and how they have achieved their own personal targets. Thank you to the hard working and dedicated Year Six Teachers who have nurtured them during their final year of primary school.  

The Graduation Ceremony was a wonderful morning, and we would like to congratulate all of the Graduates and recipients of special awards.

Congratulations to the following students who presented with an Award at the Year 6 Graduation:

2025 Head Boy and Head Girl

A huge congratulations to Martin and Robyn, the newly elected Head Boy and Head Girl for 2025! As you step into your leadership roles, we wish you great success and are excited to see the positive impact you will make on our school community.

We would also like to extend our thanks to the 2024 Head Boy and Head Girl, Kaelan and Veenaya, for their unwavering dedication and outstanding service throughout the year.  Best of luck as you transition into High School, we are confident you will continue to excel!

Kindergarten Graduation 2024

Congratulations to our Kindy Graduates!

What an amazing journey it has been watching each of you grow, learn, and achieve so much this year. You have worked so hard, made new friends, and accomplished so many wonderful things like learning to read, solving math problems, and expressing your creativity through art and play. You should be so proud of everything you’ve done!

You are ready for the next adventure, and we know you will continue to shine brightly as you move forward in your education. Keep being curious, kind, and courageous, and remember that learning is an exciting journey that never ends.

We are so proud of each and every one of you. You will always hold a special place in our hearts, and we will be cheering you on every step of the way as you continue to grow and explore the world!

Wishing you all a holiday full of fun and excitement, and a bright future ahead!

Thank you to message for our Kindy families!

As the school year ends, we wanted to take a moment to express our heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you. What an incredible year we have had! It has been an absolute privilege to teach and watch your children grow, both academically and personally.

Throughout the year, your children have shown such enthusiasm, creativity, and kindness. From the first day of school to the very last, they have amazed us with their curiosity, resilience, and eagerness to learn. It has been so rewarding to see their confidence grow as they mastered new skills and built lasting friendships. We are incredibly proud of all they have accomplished, and we know that they are ready for the next chapter of their educational journey.

We would also like to extend a sincere thank you to each of you, the families. Your support and involvement in your child’s education have made such a positive impact. Whether through volunteering, attending events, or providing encouragement at home, your dedication has truly enhanced our classroom community. We are so grateful for the trust you’ve placed in us to be a part of your child’s learning experience this year.

We hope you all have a wonderful, relaxing break filled with special moments. We will carry with us the many memories from this year and will always cherish the time spent with your amazing children.

Thank you again for a wonderful year. We wish you all the best and look forward to seeing how your children continue to grow and shine!

Best wishes
Mrs P, Mrs Witts and Mrs Smith

Perth Wildcats Basketball Clinic

This term our Year 4 students in Room 10 had the exciting opportunity to participate in a basketball clinic led by Perth Wildcats players Dylan and Donte.  The students learned what it takes to become a professional basketball player and practiced a variety of drills.  They thoroughly enjoyed the clinic, and we are grateful for the time the players spent with us.

Go Wildcats!

P&C Fun Day

The 2024 Fun Day was a fantastic event. Thank you to the P & C for all your hard work, it was an amazing day. We truly appreciate all the help and support from our parents, teachers, and staff.  A big thank you to our P & C President Danielle for co-ordinating the event. We had some great moments at Critters Up Close where students could meet and learn about reptiles, a slip and slide, a photo booth, a craft station and disco zone. 

Our students displayed an exceptional level of behaviour and sportsmanship and showed acts of kindness, fellowship, encouragement and fairness that exemplify the values at East Butler Primary School. We need to give our Amazing P & C a big round of applause, thank you very much to everyone, from East Butler Primary School. 

Christmas Mayor’s Appeal

We would like to say a HUGE thank you to all our students and families for the very generous donations we received for the Mayor’s Christmas Appeal.  It was a fantastic effort, and we managed to fill many bins and were told by the collecting staff that East Butler Primary School is one of the best donating schools in the area!

Your Move

On Wednesday 4^th December, Mrs Halden and Mrs Utley had the pleasure of attending the Bi-annual 'Your Move' awards. Our school was invited to a breakfast and award presentation ceremony. We were shortlisted as 3 finalists in the ‘School’s Achievement’ category for our involvement, participation and difference we have made for active travel in our school. We marginally lost to another school but it was an incredible achievement to be in the top 3 out of 270 schools across Western Australia! Keep up the active travel!

Special News

Congratulations!

We would like to say congratulations to our Year 6 student, Kaelan!

Kaelan recently took part in the WAKO Championships (National World Association of Kickboxing Organizations) in Canberra.  Kaelan had an amazing weekend and came home with the two gold medals and a silver medal!

Well done Kaelan!

ACT, Belong, Commit

Home - Act Belong Commit | Promoting Positive Mental Health in WA

Your Move

Your Move school – benefits of Your Move

We are a member of the Your Move Schools program.

Your Move encourages students and their families to get active by walking, scooting and riding to school. Making a small behavioural change a few times a week can result in huge benefits for your child and the community, including:

• Reduced congestion, travel times and parking problems around schools;
• Improved safety for everyone at drop-off and pick-up times;
• Reduced carbon dioxide emissions around the school;
• Lifelong improved health and emotional well-being due to instilling positive exercise habits at a young age;
• Improved concentration and academic performance;
• More sustainable and cost-effective transport outcomes, such as reducing the need for investment in parking that may only be utilised for a short period each day, and reduced road infrastructure maintenance costs.

We earn Your Move points by posting stories and photos of our active transport adventures on the website; these can translate into grants to fund active transport facilities and activities for the school and other rewards. If you’re interested in volunteering to be part of our school’s Your Move program, get in touch with our Your Move Champion Mrs Utley

OFFICE NEWS

Voluntary Contributions

Thank you to those parents who have already paid their voluntary contributions through the booklist and other methods– this certainly helps the school to ensure that resources are made available to the various year groups for this school year. Please remember that you are always welcome to enter into a Payment Plan with the school.

Online Payments to the school

Online payments are our preferred method of payment.  If you would like to make an online payment to the school (for contributions, excursions, etc), please use the following bank details:

Can you please ensure you provide the student’s name and what the payment is for when you make any payments.  More information is below regarding paying money to the school.

Daily Absences

If your child is absent from School, can you please advise your child’s name, room number and reason for absence.  This number is accessible 24 hours and we would be grateful if you could please notify us as early as possible of any absence or lateness.

Late for School?

If you have students who arrive late for school please sign them in at the office on the Ipad and ensure they collect a late slip to hand to their teacher.  This will update the system and ensure that you do not receive a text message advising that they are absent from school.

Connect

Connect is a fantastic tool for the school to keep in touch with families of East Butler Primary School.  If you are not receiving Connect messages please contact the front office and we will be happy to help.

In-term Leave

For any in-term leave, a form is required to be submitted to the school.  This form is available for printing below or in hard copy from the front office.  If you are taking your child/ren on holiday during school, the absences will be marked as “unauthorised vacation”.  This is a Department of Education directive.

Lost Property

The lost property box can be found in the Administration block.    The P&C have kindly offered to go through the lost items every week and return any named items to the students’ classrooms.  At the end of every term any items still remaining in the box will be donated to charity.

SCHOOL DATES 2025

MEDICAL PLANS

If your child has a medical condition which requires a medical plan, we would like to refer you to the documents below.  Please complete the relevant plan for your child’s medical requirements. 

If your child is taking medication on a permanent basis, please complete the Form 2 Generic Health care plan. Should your child require short-term medication (i.e. antibiotics, Panadol) please come to the office to fill out an “authority to administer form”.  All medication is to be kept at the office.

If your child requires a long term plan, this will need to be signed by their doctor prior to bringing it into the school.  Once we have the information we will then draw up a plan and circulate this information amongst the staff at East Butler Primary School to ensure that the medical needs of the student are met in accordance with their personal plan and Department of Education Policy.

SUNSMART

COMMUNITY NEWS

City of Wanneroo

School holiday program - School Holidays - City of Wanneroo

Triple P Parenting Program

Triple P is the parenting program that helps make raising kids easier. It gives you tips and ideas to help raise happy and confident kids; see more of the behaviors you like and less of the ones you don’t; and have better relationships with your family.

The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program is available to parents and carers of children in Western Australia, thanks to the Department of Education, Child and Adolescent Health Service, WA Country Health Service, and the Department of Communities. Private providers also deliver Triple P.

Free Triple P Seminars are being offered in various locations. Other Triple P programs may be available in selected regions, with more to come in the future. Most providers offer free sessions. Some sessions may be offered in a virtual/video conference format.  Please follow the links below to Triple P courses available near you.

Saver Plus Community Program

What is Saver Plus?

Saver Plus is a free online community money skills program funded by ANZ and the Australian Government, and delivered by The Smith Family in WA:

• helping people to hit their savings goals,
• develop life-long savings habits, and
• receive up to $500 in matched savings from ANZ to assist with school expenses.

The Saver Plus community program has helped over 55,000 Australians take the stress out of back to school time. It’s free for eligible people to join.

At Saver Plus, we pair you with a savings coach while you budget and save over the next 10 months. You attend online workshops to learn tips, tricks and information to grow your budgeting and savings skills. Once you reach your agreed savings goal, ANZ matches your savings dollar-for-dollar, up to $500. You can use that money towards education costs such as uniforms, text books, laptops or extra-curricular activities such as sport or music.

You could be eligible to join Saver Plus if you:

• have a Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card
• are at least 18 years old
  
• have some regular income from work (you or your partner) including casual, part-time, full-time or seasonal (we also accept child support and carer’s payment as income)
• have a child at school or attend vocational education yourself.

If you’re eligible, start now and we’ll help take the stress out of next year’s back to school.

To find out more, or to apply, go to www.saverplus.org.au or call  1300 610 355 

Cyberbullying

Cyberbullying: what is it and how to get help

Cyberbullying is bullying that is done through the use of technology. For example, using the Internet, a mobile phone or a camera to hurt or embarrass someone is considered cyberbullying. 

What does cyberbullying look like?

A cyberbully can be someone you know, or a stranger. They might send mean or hurtful text messages through social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, or through sites where people can ask / answer questions.

Cyberbullying can also involve people sending photos and videos of you to others to try and embarrass or hurt you.

People spreading rumours about you via emails or social networking sites or text messages.

People trying to stop you from communicating with others.

People setting up fake profiles pretending to be you, or posting messages or status updates from your accounts.

How you can be safe from bullies online

Do not share private information like passwords, name and address, phone numbers with people you don’t know. This can also include sharing of photos of yourself, your friends and your family

Do not respond to messages when you are angry or hurt. Log out and stop messaging if you feel you are being harassed.

You can block, delete and report anyone who is harassing you online and on your mobile.

Find out how to report bullying and harassment on each of the different social networks that you use.

Keep a record of calls, messages, posts and emails that may be hurtful or harmful to you.

Set up the privacy options on your social networking sites like Facebook in a way you are comfortable with

Get help

Lawstuff provides legal information to children and young people in Australia. 

You can also go to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) Cybersmart Program

If you have been bullied or witnessed others been bullied and need help, you can contact Kids Help Line (1800 55 1800), which is a free and confidential, telephone counselling service for 5 to 25 year olds in Australia. http://www.kidshelp.com.au

Lifeline (13 11 14) is a free and confidential service staffed by trained telephone counsellors. http://www.lifeline.org.au

The Australian Human Rights Commission (1300 656 419) has a complaint handling service that may investigate complaints of discrimination, harassment and bullying
http://www.humanrights.gov.au/complaints_information/index.html

OSH Club

Achievers Club WA

Installing the Schoolzine App

Our Newsletter is available through the Schoolzine App on your Apple or Android device.  This is a great way to keep in touch with everything going on at East Butler Primary School and we encourage you to download the app.  The details for downloading are as follows: