Term 4 - Issue 1 2024

Our Vision

Principal's Article

Hello Westminster Community,

As the weather warms up, it’s a timely reminder for all families to ensure students are bringing their hats to school and applying sunscreen before arriving each day. Staying sun-safe is especially important as we enjoy more outdoor activities.

Our Senior students had an incredible experience at their swimming lessons this term. A big thank you goes out to all the staff who jumped in the pool to support our students. Without your dedication and willingness to get into the water, these lessons simply wouldn’t be possible, so we appreciate all your hard work!

We also had an exciting time celebrating STEAM Week! Highlights of the week included a dynamic drumming incursion, a creative Remida incursion, and a stunning Art Display in the library. A special thank you goes to Claire and Nicole Hall for their fantastic efforts in organising this week of celebration and learning.

On Wednesday, I accompanied our Student Councillors on an excursion to Parliament House. This was a fabulous opportunity for our students to bond with the mainstream Student Councillors and our local member, Mr. David Michael. The students enjoyed a fine dining experience and even got to visit the Chamber while Parliament was sitting! It was truly an experience of a lifetime for our students. A big thank you to Mr. David Michael for the invitation, spending time with us, and answering all of our questions.

As always, Term 4 is a busy time at WESC. Here’s what’s coming up:

• ESNN Senior Carnival – 5th November 2024
• Outdoor Classroom Day – 22nd October 2024
• Book Award Assembly – 29th November 2024
• Graduation Assembly – 6th December 2024, where we will bid a fond farewell to our Year 6 students.

Another special event on our calendar is Stepping Up Day on 11th December 2024. On this day, all students will participate in transition activities with their new teachers for 2025. It’s a wonderful opportunity for students to get to know their new classes and teachers for the upcoming year.

We will cap off the term with our annual Christmas Picnic, featuring a special visit from Santa and, for the grand finale, a Foam Party! So, don’t forget to pack your bathers for a day of fun and festivities.

Lastly, this week we farewelled our much-loved Brooke, our School Officer, who is leaving us to prepare for the arrival of baby number three. Brooke has been a wonderful part of our team and will be dearly missed by all. We wish her all the very best for the arrival of her little girl and look forward to welcoming Brooke back to WESC in 2025.

Thank you all for your continued support as we navigate this busy term. We look forward to seeing everyone at our upcoming events!

Warm regards,
Carmen Lopez

Birak Season

Birak Season - ABORIGINAL SIX SEASONS

FIRST SUMMER

SEASON OF THE YOUNG

DECEMBER & JANUARY

COLOUR - PINK

To represent the warming of boodja (land) and the magnificent sunrise and sunsets during this Season.

The Southwest showcases spectacular colours from the sky in pinks, oranges, yellows and reds as the sun rises and the sun sets in the Season of Birak. Birak Season is all about landcare and preparation for new growth. Land (boodja) is slowly heated by the hot days, releasing the moisture that is returned by a break of rain. This cycle of hot weather and quenching rainfall enabled safe fire burning practices.

This is why Birak is referred to as the 'Burning Season', where Noongar people would initiate 'controlled burning', in order for the land to regenerate and allow for environmental regrowth. Flame (djarliny) was an important tool used to assist regrowth, using a combination of heat to release seeds and smoke (koorl) followed by rains to encourage the germination of seeds..

Christmas Tree (Moodjar) with bright orange/yellow flowers is now in full bloom. Reptiles are active and will be shedding their skin and young Magpies (Koolbardi) are learning new techniques but still reliant on their parents. The adult Koolbardi will often force independence of the young by a feeding demonstration followed by close supervision as they listen (ni) to the constant calling for food.

The sea breeze in the mornings and evenings makes this time of year refreshing and the ocean always gave an abundance of fresh food. The banksia is in flower and is used as a source of honey.

Aboriginal Six Seasons, Birak Season, https://www.aboriginalsixseasons.com.au/pages/birak-season

News from Birak 4

Term 4 has arrived quicker than expected. Our students in Room Birak 4 started the new term with excitement, enjoying and having fun with the new trampolines and the wooden climbing fort next to the basketball court.

Room Birak 4 has been very busy these first two weeks, participating in swimming lessons and activities like the African Drums Incursion, REMIDA, with Ms. Hall, where our students used recycled materials to create their own bug designs; and our students Art Gallery in the Library, with their beautiful and colourful displays of art; exhibiting the best of their imagination and making us all feel so proud of their dedicated work and achievements in Art sessions with Ms. Deans.

For Maths, our students enjoy interacting on the smartboard with maths games and activities, as well as using a variety of resources like MAB Blocks, money, hundred chart for counting and adding for better understanding.

Birak 4 has welcomed with kindness our new student to our classroom and have been from the very beginning keen to share their time playing and learning a variety of activities with our new student, as well as socialising and building positive relationships.

Our students in Room Birak 4 have had a great start in English and Maths.

For English, they have been presenting morning news to their peers and teachers with topics of everyday life: their favourite activities, likes and dislikes; speaking about what they did on their holidays, exchanging ideas and asking questions about the topic.

Our students enjoy reading books of their choice from the library.

In the afternoons, our students have been engaged with subjects like HASS, learning about the different places in the Americas;  AUSLAN, signing greetings and the alphabet; Social Skills, learning about good manners, and Health where safe and unsafe situation topics have been learnt.

We are looking forward to a busy and engaging Term 4 with lots of opportunities for success, rewards, fun, and fantastic new achievements in the learning of new topics from the start of this Term 4 until the end of this year 2024.

Well done Birak 4, keep up the good work!

African Drumming Incursion

Remida Incursion

PBS

This fortnight's PBS lesson is 'We Stay together with the Class', which falls under the 'We are Safe' expectation. 

Kindergarten 2025

Sorrento Surf Lifesaving Club

Uniforms

Voluntary Contributions

Voluntary Contributions - Kindy to Year 6

$30.00 – Per Student

School Board Members

Term Planner