11 April 2019

Newsletter Articles

Principal’s Report

Welcome to the last newsletter for term one. This has been a busy and productive term and I would like to sincerely thank all parents and caregivers for helping your child settle into the school year and for playing a major role in the progress they have made during the term.

Thanks to parents who have updated contact details with the front office. It is essential that we have up to date contact numbers in case of an emergency. Please be aware that we are only able to release your child to adults you have included on your contact list. If your child is on the bus, please alert them to any changes in the daily schedule along with a note to the class teacher in the Communication Book.

PLDS teachers have completed transition visits to schools of our exited students. Student information was sent to schools and teachers shared a handover file of information for the 2019 teacher. We invited the exiting school teachers to attend Professional Learning at PLDS with schools taking up the offer and attending the many Professional learning opportunities offered by PLDS and the Outreach Team.

Our Speech and Language Team along with teachers have completed language assessments with students and collaborated to write Individual Language Plans for every student at PLDS. We are currently meeting with parents to discuss the language goals and strategies for your children. Thank you to those parents who have taken the opportunity to attend the valuable meetings to build your knowledge of your child’s education. Please contact the front office if you were unable to attend your child’s ILP meeting.

The Outreach team continues planning and presenting Professional Learning to the teachers in our service areas. The valuable service offered by the team ensures we are building the capacity of teachers in WA to support the language and literacy needs of students.

In this newsletter you will find updates from our four sites demonstrating the wonderful work of our School Community.

Voluntary contributions and charges are due by the end of term one. There will be more information in term two about the draw to win an exciting prize for fees sent in by the end of this term.

The PLDS School Board will hold an Annual Public meeting on Tuesday 28th May commencing at 9.00am. You will find further information in this newsletter and we look forward to welcoming members of our community to the meeting.

Peel Language Development School would like to congratulate the P & C Office Bearers for 2019 and we look forward to continuing to build positive and productive partnerships. We thank you for the valuable work you do at the RLPS campus.

Have a safe and happy holiday and we look forward to exciting learning opportunities in term two.

Shelley Collins
Principal

Important information for Parents – All Sites

Annual Public Meeting

Fees

We have an incentive running at the moment where if you pay your child’s fees in full before the end of term one (Friday 12th April) you will automatically be entered into the draw to win a bike. This prize has very kindly been donated by Paul Papalia’s office, of which we are very grateful for the support. The winner will be announced during assembly in week two, term two.

Your Voluntary Contributions and Charges can be paid via

• Cash
• Cheque payable to Peel Language Development School
• Direct Debit BSB: 036-074, Acc: 226824, Reference: child’s name

RLPS Campus

D2

We cannot believe how fast this term has flown by. It has definitely been a busy one in D2. We have spent lots of time getting to know each other and building strong relationships with our new friends along with learning all the routines of our new Pre-Primary class. We have had a fabulous start to the year and have settled in nicely.

We have spent lots of time learning about our 5 senses - sight, smell, touch, taste and hearing. We had a great time using many of these senses while doing an experiment using jelly crystals, bicarb and water.

We have celebrated Harmony day and enjoyed participating in the Harmony day walk with the rest of PLDS and Rockingham Lakes.

During our science classes with Miss Murray we have been on a big adventure around the school delivering special plants to all the teachers and admin staff around the school. We had such a brilliant time exploring our school and meeting some new people.

We have been loving our sensory exploration experiences both within and outside the classroom. Oobleck has been one of our favourites.

We are currently learning all about our communities, how they are special to us, who is in them and who is helpful to us and our communities. Our doctors surgery is getting lots of use at the moment as we practice being kind and caring and taking care of our friends when they are in need.

We have had a wonderful term, but are looking forward to the Easter break so we can recharge our batteries and come back for another wonderful term of learning.

Community Worker Dress Up - ECE5, D2, D3 & PP4

Students enjoyed a fun day dressing up as their favourite community workers

We were even lucky enough to have the local fire men come and join the fun

Raffle Donations

It is that time of year again where we celebrate the Easter holiday with our “Easter Egg Raffle”. These raffles will be drawn and presented on Friday 12 April as part of the Easter Hat Parade outside the undercover area at approximately 10:15am. Tickets will be sold before school from Monday 1 April until Thursday 11 April outside the library and inside the undercover area.

In order for the raffle to be successful, we would really appreciate donations of either chocolates or Easter related merchandise. These donations can be dropped off at the office from now until Tuesday 9 April. Please ensure all donations are in their original packaging. Funds raised from the raffle will go towards graduation for our Year 6s.

Thanking you in advance.

Easter Parade & Raffle

This year our Easter Hat Parade will be held on Friday 12 April at 10.15am and the Easter Raffle will also be drawn at this time. Pre-Primary to Year 3 students will come out for the event with all students participating in the parade. The parade will occur on the grassed areas in front of the Covered Assembly Area. Parents are welcome to come and view the parade.

Following the parade, we will draw the many lucky winners of our Easter Raffle. Tickets for the raffle will remain on sale, before school each day and at the front of the school until Friday morning. A huge thank you to all the families who have donated Easter eggs for this raffle.

Mandurah Campus

In Chemical Science this semester we have been learning about materials and states of matter.

In Kindy and Pre-Primary our focus has been on materials and their properties. We have been looking at a variety of materials such as wood, plastic, glass and metal. We have also investigated how these materials look and feel along with how we use them in our environment.

In Year 1 and Year 2 we have been looking at how materials can change with temperature. We investigated how spaghetti can be hard and straight when raw but turns soft and curly once cooked. We also found out that it’s an excellent material to create a picture.

In Year 3, we have been learning about states of matter. We have learnt what the word ‘matter’ means and that it can take three different forms which are liquid, solid and gas. In one investigation, we observed the effects of heat on chocolate, ice and oil. It was a lot of fun.

Bungaree Campus

Room 3

In Room 3, we have been learning about ‘how to get out of the Learning Pit’. The Learning Pit created by James Nottingham is a powerful analogy for learning that is used by schools around the world. Students in Room 3 have fully embraced the ‘Learning Pit’ which has been embedded in our daily routines which supports student learning. We all get into the Learning Pit which represents a challenge. Taking on a challenge is like getting into the pit. We all feel uncertain in the Learning Pit and it takes effort to climb out. When we do climb out, it means we’ve learnt something new. Students have had lots of fun creating goals for the term and writing positive affirmations about themselves.

Students at Bungaree Primary have been busy with swimming since Week 9. Students look forward to their swimming lessons each morning.

Congratulations to Deklan who scooped two fabulous prizes at the Easter Raffle

Pinjarra Campus

Pinjarra students have had a wonderful time over the last couple of weeks with working outside and then having Men of the Trees visiting.

Students from Room 28 have been beautifying their garden with orange marigold flowers.

Room 29 and Room 30 enjoyed making slime outside

Men of the Trees was a huge success again for our students and they had a great time learning about the trees and shrubs they were reporting.

They are now looking after them in the shade house until it’s time to plant them in the wetlands nearby.

The Science Team

RLPS

Welcome to Science,

We would like the thank Port Kennedy Bunnings for their generous donations of two garden beds, some shade and a garden shed. We are very thankful as these items will help enhance the learning experiences of our students. We will also update you with photos of the environment and what the students are growing.

Students have enjoyed learning through gardening, growing plants from seeds and watching the seedlings develop over time. Many have now gone home and some have been reported for further observations.

Students have been having fun getting sticky while making towers using spaghetti and marshmallows while observing the properties of materials.

EGG SHELLS

Can we please have your clean egg shells?

Crushed egg shells stop snails from eating plants and are very good for the soil. We are using them, carefully, to care for our plants in the garden. If you have any spare clean egg shells can we please have them.

Thank you,

The Science Team

Crunch & Sip

School Nurse

Bedwetting

Bedwetting, or nocturnal enuresis, is very common in children. Bedwetting has nothing to do with dreaming, and children who wet the bed are not “just being lazy”.

If your child wets the bed, there are a number of things you can do to help, such as using a waterproof mattress cover and establishing a before-bed toilet routine. It is not helpful to punish children who wet the bed. Fluids should not be restricted, even before bedtime. Sugary or caffeinated drinks should be avoided.

If your child is still wetting the bed after five and a half years of age, seek help through a referral by your local doctor. A bedwetting alarm is an effective and safe method of treatment available for nocturnal enuresis and may be appropriate for your child.

Contact your local Community Health Nurse (Enuresis) at the Community Health Centre, on (9419 2266) for more information.

Community News

School Holiday Fun

Easter Jokes for Kids

Q. What do you get if you pour hot water down a rabbit hole?
A. Hot cross bunnies!

Q. What do you call a rabbit with fleas?
A. Bugs Bunny!

Q. Why shouldn’t you tell an Easter egg a joke?
A. It might crack up!

Q. How did the soggy Easter Bunny dry himself?
A. With a hare-dryer!

Q. Why did the Easter Bunny cross the road?
A. Because the chicken had his Easter eggs!

Q. What did the rabbit say to the carrot?
A. It’s been nice gnawing you!

Q. How did the Easter Bunny rate the Easter parade?
A. He said it was eggs-cellent!

Q. How does the Easter Bunny travel?
A. By hare-plane!

Q. How does the Easter Bunny stay fit?
A. Eggs-ercise and hare-robics!

Q. Why did the Easter egg hide?
A. He was a little chicken!

Easter Egg People

What you will need:

• eggs - hard boiled, blown or straight from the carton
• permanent markers
• an egg carton
• something to cover your work surface

Activity:

Cover your work surface with newspaper or a plastic cloth and wear old clothes or an apron.

Cut up an empty egg carton into sections to give the kids somewhere to rest their eggs while they're working on them.

Use the markers to draw faces, hair, clothes and accessories on your Easter egg people.

Egg nest cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup caster sugar
• 125 g Flora Buttery
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup self-raising flour

Icing

• 85 g Flora spread
• 1 cup icing sugar
• 40 g white chocolate
• 1 tbs lemon juice
• 36 chocolate Easter eggs

Method

1. Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced) and line a 12-hole muffin tray with paper cases. Beat sugar, Flora and vanilla together using electric beaters until pale and creamy.
2. Add eggs one by one beating well after each addition. Add flour and mix until combined.
3. Spoon into prepared cases and bake for 12-15 minutes or until cakes are springy when lightly touched. Cool completely before decorating.
4. To make icing, combine ingredients and beat until smooth. Icing may need to be refrigerated if a little soft. Ice cakes and decorate with chocolate eggs.

Chocolate and orange hot cross biscuits

Ingredients

• 150 g Western Star Chef's choice cultured unsalted butter (softened)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups plain flour
• 2 tbs cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 can desiccated coconut
• 1 orange (zested)
• 180 g milk chocolate chips
• 100 g white chocolate

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°C. Line two large baking trays with baking paper and set aside.
2. Beat the butter, vanilla and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer until creamy. Add the eggs and continue to beat until combined. Add the plain flour, cocoa, baking powder and coconut and mix until combined. Finally, add the milk chocolate chips and orange zest, and gently mix until evenly distributed.
3. Roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls and place onto the prepared baking tray. Leave a 2 – 3 cm gap between the biscuits and flatten each slightly.
4. Place the trays into the oven for 10 – 12 minutes or until the biscuits are lightly browned. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Transfer the biscuits onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Melt the white chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water. When the chocolate melts and becomes smooth, remove from the heat and cool for 5 minutes. Use a spoon (or piping bag with a small nozzle attachment) to make white chocolate crosses over each biscuit.
6. Set the biscuits aside for 20 minutes or until the chocolate has set.