School Newsletter -Vol.11_24 July 2024

From the Principal

Welcome to Term 3! This is a time for us to consolidate our learning and focus on the goals we set at mid-year reporting, both in academics and learning behaviour. Our focus value at the start of this term is Courage. In our department for Education Children and young People we understand courage as accepting challenges and embracing opportunities.  Classes will be undertaking some work to understand what that looks like, sounds like and feels like at Waverley Primary.  We encourage our students to be courageous in their learning.  Be active bystanders, reporting unacceptable behaviour, and working together as a team.   

We are delighted to share that Ms Amber Adams is the successful nominee for the position of acting School Business Manager at Waverley Primary School. We look forward to the stability that the continuation of staffing will deliver to our school. We thank Mrs Amanda Chugg who competently filled the role of SBM while Ms Adams was on leave during the school holidays.   

 As shared previously at the end of last term, Mrs Sally Foley has reduced her teaching load at Waverley.  After some 20 years teaching Visual Arts this is a significant decision.  We thank Mrs Foley for her commitment and care of our students learning in the Arts. Mrs Foley will remain teaching our Early Years programs on Wednesday and Thursday.    

 We are pleased to announce that we have recruited Ms Denni Sulzberger to teach Visual Arts.  Ms Sulzberger has experience teaching Visual Arts in various educational settings. She brings valuable skills in curriculum and the Arts to our team. Visual Art classes will take place on either a Monday or Friday morning each week.  Students will continue to experience one 40min lesson.   

 Mrs Courtney Singline will be teaching Music on Tuesday’s.  Each class will experience a 40min lesson.  We are delighted that Mrs Singline has accepted to teach Music from Kinder to Year 6.    

  We have some Teacher Assistant changes. They are as follows:  

• Mr Tom Symes will increase his time with us in 5-6.  

• Ms Rachael Doherty will increase her time working in 2-3.  

• Ms Arabella Phillips will increase her time in 1-2.  

• Ms Dani Brown will work in Kindergarten 2 days each fortnight.   

• Ms Gemima Hindrum will work in 4-5, P-1 and a Visual Arts program.   

It is great to have a diverse and strong TA team of 17 staff at Waverley, united through their support and care for our students. 

 As of Term 3 we will have 15 flexible programs on offer.  Flexible programs at Waverley Primary School provide an alternative pathway for developing essential literacy, numeracy, social, emotional, wellbeing, and life skills. These programs extend learning beyond the regular classroom, offering tailored experiences to meet diverse student needs. For more information about these programs please see Mrs Anita Price.   

We have an exciting term ahead! Our Year 1-2 students have won a whole day pass from QVMag to participate in Science Week events at the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery. Many teachers are already planning their class excursions for Term 3, adding to the excitement, and learning opportunities. 

In Week 2, we have the much-anticipated School Disco, thanks to our wonderful School Association for supporting this event. More information is listed below. We are eagerly preparing for Book Week. This year's theme is "Reading is Magic," and our annual book week parade will be the highlight of the celebrations during 17-23 August. 

At our last school assembly we recognised students who achieved academic and learning behaviour success and those who achieved excellent records for attendance during the mid-year reporting phase; their names are listed below.  Congratulations to all students who were recognised at this special assembly.  It was excellent to see so many students being recognised and to have families attend to help us celebrate these special achievements.  

We look forward to a fantastic Term 3, filled with learning, growth, and memorable experiences. We will continue to recognise and reward students who consistently do the right thing with tokens, merit certificates, Principal Awards, and the Aussie of the Month Award. 

Kind regards,  

Mrs Wightman 

Principal 

Merit Certificates & Awards

Congratulations to the recipients of merit certificates and awards received at the assembly held on Wednesday 3rd July.

Merit Certificates:

• Rraykana S-G
• Amora K
• Lucas S-B
• Charlie F
• Connor D
• Braxton G
• Delilah C
• Rubi D
• Kaspian M
• Amarli K
• Mason W
• Hunter T
• Lincoln C
• Ryder T
• Brayden W
• Shayla W
• Charlotte M

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 16

Next

Principal Awards:

• Kacie M
• Dominic N
• Mrs Wager
• Mrs Jex
• Mr Milne

Celebrating Student Achievement

At our final assembly for term 2 on Wednesday, 3rd July we recognised those students who had Outstanding Commitment to Learning, Academic Excellence and those students who received both of these achievements in their midyear reports.  We also recognised students who have had a high attendance rating for the first half of the year.

Congratulations to the following students.

Mr Sam Millwood

QTC

Outstanding Commitment to Learning

Academic Excellence

Outstanding Academic Achievement and Learning Behaviours

Attendance Certificates

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 79

Next

NAPLAN

NAPLAN is a is a national literacy and numeracy assessment undertaken to see how your child’s literacy and numeracy skills and understanding compare against national standards.  

In March 2024, Literacy and Numeracy assessments were completed by our Year 3 and Year 5 students. Below is a summary of our school’s achievement in those assessments. 

Students who were exempt or withdrawn from all tests will not be issued an individual report. All other students will receive their individual student report on Friday. Please ask your student for this important document. If you have any questions or would like to discuss, please reach out to your classroom teacher to make an appointment. 

Our School Summary 

Student achievement is measured in 4 levels: 

• Exceeding – the student’s result exceeds expectations at the time of testing 

• Strong – the student’s result meets challenging but reasonable expectations at the time of testing 

• Developing – the student’s result indicates that they are working towards expectations at the time of testing. 

• Needs Additional Support – The student’s result indicates that they are not achieving the learning outcomes expected at the time of testing. They are likely to need additional support to progress satisfactorily.  

Year 3 

• In Year 3 Numeracy, 29.4% of student’s results are exceeding. In Reading, 26.6% of student results are strong or exceeding.  
• In Writing, 28.6% of student’s results are strong. In spelling, 21.4% of student’s results are strong.  
• In Grammar and Punctuation, 14.3% of student’s results are strong.  

Year 5 

All students in year 5 have demonstrated medium to high gains in NAPLAN in 2024. 100% of students achieved gains from Year 3 (2022) to Year 5 (2024) in NAPLAN, of which 69% of students achieved medium gains and 23% achieved high gains. 

• In Numeracy, 20% of student’s results are strong. 
• In Reading, 20% of student’s results are strong. 
• In Writing, 33.3% of student’s results are strong. 
• In Spelling, 26.7% of student’s results are strong or exceeding. 
• In Grammar and Punctuation, 26.7% of student’s results are strong.  

Mr Sam Millwood 

QTC 

School Disco

Arrive at School

We are pleased to welcome students each morning and look forward to another great day of learning and growth.

Please be advised that our staff are not available to provide supervision before 8:30 AM. We kindly request that students do not arrive at school prior to this time, as there will be no duty staff on site to ensure their safety.

Our supervision and duty of care commence at 8:30am, and we are pleased to invite families and students to enter the school grounds from this time onwards. By 8:30am, we have staff ready to provide the necessary supervision, and our classrooms are warm, open, and prepared for the day's activities.

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. We appreciate your support in helping us maintain a safe and welcoming environment for all our students.

Amity Program

During Term 2 Catherine Magor from Tailrace Centre has been running the Amity program with our Year 6 Girls. We cannot thank Catherine enough for her coming to WPS to run this program as it has been a valuable experience for all the girls involved. We hope to have Catherine back in Term 4 to continue this work and keeping connection with our school.  

About the program: 

Amity: meaning Friendship, or peaceful harmony - This program is about bringing harmony to all areas of life, becoming better friends with yourself & others for a more empowered future. 

Student Feedback: 

Layla: “I enjoyed the program because we got the opportunity to do activities we may not have done otherwise.” 

Shayla: “I enjoyed the program as it increased my self-esteem.” 

Kacie: “It was really good that Catherine took the time to come to WPS to deliver the program.” 

Mia: “The program taught me to always encourage myself in life and follow your dreams.” 

Charlotte: “We got to make sunflower pots and helped with controlling our zones better.” 

Mrs Megan Pel

AST

Pyjama Day

On Wednesday 3^rd July our Year 6 Leaders held a PJ Day to raise money for their Year 6 end of year events and to donate to Catherine for running the Year 6 girls Amity Program which was held during term 2.

It was perfect cold winter conditions for students and staff to be cosy in their oodies, matching PJ sets and dressing gowns.

It was fantastic to see all students and staff being involved and having a relaxing fun day of learning at school.

The Year 6 leaders would like to thank everyone involved and they are pleased to announce they raised $136.40.

Mrs Megan Pel

AST

Prev

Showing images 1 - 8 of 17

Next

Flexible Programs at Waverley Primary School

Flexible Programs 

At Waverley Primary School, we offer students the opportunity to participate in a variety of flexible learning programs. Flexible programs allow for personalised learning experiences tailored to suit each student’s individual needs, interests and learning styles. They help increase student engagement by allowing students to pursue topics that are of interest to them. Flexible programs also provide opportunities for students to develop important social skills such as collaboration, problem solving and resilience. By participating in flexible programs, students can develop important skills such as adaptability, critical thinking and creativity that are valuable for success in future education and life experiences. 

Lego Club 

One of the Flexible programs on offer is Lego Club. During Term 2, the school purchased a pallet of Lego kits. There were many excited little faces when the delivery arrived! 

Not only do children love creating with Lego, but it also supports them to develop many important skills. Building with Lego helps improve fine motor skills and hand-eye co-ordination. It enhances creativity and imagination, encouraging children to think outside the box. Lego helps to improve problem-solving skills and encourages critical thinking as children figure out how to make their creations come to life. Building with Lego can also be a social activity that promotes teamwork and collaboration as children work together to build and create structures or solve complex challenges. Completing a Lego project can give children a sense of accomplishment and pride, boosting their confidence and self-esteem. 

Mrs Anita Price

Assistant Principal

Inside Out 2 Excursion

On July 4^th all students from Years 1 – 6 travelled to The Star Theatre to watch Inside Out 2. All students had an amazing experience and thoroughly enjoyed watching the movie.

“The movie was spectacular, and the seating arrangements and area was really cool. Going to the movies at school was a great experience as it's something we have never done before!”  Phoebe Frost 4/5.

“I really liked the movie; it was a rollercoaster of emotions!” Kayden Towns 4/5

“All the new emotions in the movie was exciting and interesting.” Evie Lawes 4/5

“It was good because it was an excursion we haven’t done before!” Dakoda Nolan 4/5.

Inside Out 2 was chosen to view as it relates to regulating a variety of emotions which is linked to our school focus of student wellbeing and zones of regulation work.  We focus on self-regulation skills, social and emotional literacy and how to apply strategies to real life situations. Inside Out 2 is a great age-appropriate movie that links the work we focus on at Waverley around identifying, understanding and coping with a variety of emotions.

Did you know? There are over 100 different human emotions, that we know about!

Our work on regulation is crucial for development not only through primary school but throughout all stages of life.

Thank you to all staff and volunteers who attended the excursion, it was a fantastic way to end term 2. I would also like to thank The Star Theatre for accommodating our school for the private viewing of the movie.

Mrs Megan Pel

AST

Kindergarten Enrolments 2025

Children born in 2020 are required to enrol in Kindergarten for 2025.  More information about Kindergarten in Tasmanian Government Schools can be found by following the link below. 

We have a pre-kinder program that takes place every Friday morning the year prior to starting Kinder.  We invite families with pre-kinder age children to our Friday program. 

Any families that are yet to enrol their child in kindergarten are invited to do so as soon as possible.  If you have family or friends who would like to be considered, please encourage them to contact our school.  

Uniform

A reminder to please ensure your child(ren) are dressed warmly in school uniform for their day at school. Our school has very high expectations for our school uniform and many visitors to our school give extremely positive feedback about how smart our students look. We ask that any long sleeves under polo tops are gold keep to with our school colours. We ask that students please wear black trackpants/trousers or shorts. 

A reminder that our Waverley Primary School jackets are great for an extra layer over a school jumper. Uniform items can be purchased at the main office or through our Qkr! app, with items being delivered to students within a day. 

Please note: branded leggings and very short hot pant style shorts are not part of our school uniform.

Communication

Newsletter access

Please note the following information: 

Schoolzine SZapp and our Text message service are our main source of communication. 

The newsletter is published every second Wednesday through Schoolzine and can be viewed through the SZapp.   

The Waverly Primary School Facebook page is a great way to stay informed about what is happening in and around our school. 

Attendance

At Waverley Primary students attendance and safety are high priorities.  If your child is absent or late please phone our school office ph: 6339 1455 or send a note via the SZapp.  All lateness and absence must be explained.  This is a legal requirement by the Department for Education Children and Young People.  

An SMS text message will be automatically sent to the mobile phones of parents/carers explaining that our records show that your child is absent from school.   

The message will arrive on the phone displaying the number: 0407 580 106. Please save this number as ‘WPS Absentee’ so that when the message arrives you are aware is has come from our school.   

You can reply to the text to explain the absence please add: your child’s name, reason they are absent or late.   

Messages from you to school

To ensure your messages are received and actioned in a timely manner and without error, please use the following:

• Absentee notifications - Enter details using the SZapp by 9:00am to notify the office of student absence.
• End of day messages - Send a message using the SZapp or call 63391455 before 2:30pm.
• Queries and other messages - Send a message using the SZapp or email waverley.primary@decyp.tas.gov.au
• Uniform & icecream/icypole orders - Order and pay on the Qkr! app

We endeavour to respond to enquiries within 2 business days during school terms.

Messages from us to you

In an effort to reduce our carbon footprint, we will push information out to you via the SZapp.  It is very important that all of our parents have signed up to the Schoolzine app to receive notices and information. 

If you require assistance in setting up or using the SZapp or the Qkr! app, please contact the office. 

School Association AGM

Allergy Aware

We are an allergy aware school.  We discourage the use and consumption of nuts and nut products as well as eggs and egg products. 

Ice Cream Sales

A reminder that we have ice cream sales on a Monday at lunch time.  All proceeds support our Year 6 celebration activities.  You can order your ice cream or icy pole on the Qkr! app or you can bring cash on the day.

5/6 Friday Sport

Important Dates

Early Years

Pre-Kinder

Advanced Safeguarding Training

Working With Vulnerable People Registration

Parents and carers if you remain with your child in their classroom beyond school drop off, or volunteer for parent help, or would like to attend a school excursion we must see a copy of your registration card.  When you sign in at the office please enter your RWVP number.  

It is against the law for a person to work or volunteer at any DECYP School without a current working with vulnerable people registration. 

If you would like to volunteer at Waverley Primary School we would love to hear from you.  To apply for registration please follow the link below:

Staff Information

Staff – Student Support and Wellbeing Team

Staff - Teacher Assistant

Administration Team

Education Facility Attendant

Move Well Eat Well

A reminder to everyone that we do not bring energy drinks to school.  

TEEN Triple P Positive Parenting Program

Winter Wellness

Community Notices