Primary School 9232 3550 www.forestcrescentps.com

In Learning We Grow

Wed 17 Dec P&C AGM 7pm

Thurs 18 Feb

Whole School Assembly—NO PARENTS Uniform Shop 8.30am-9.30am Student Council Morning Tea Year 4 Recycling Incursion

Mon 22 Feb Student Council Leadership—Bickley

Wed 24 Feb School Banking 8.15am School Board 7pm

Thurs 25 Feb Uniform Shop 8.30am—9.30am YR 4 Recycling Incursion

Mon 1 Mar Labour Day Public Holiday

Tues 2 Mar New Parents Afternoon Tea 3.15pm

FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S DESK Greetings to parents, students, staff and community members, welcome to the commencement of another exciting school year! I would like to thank the school community for their support, firstly with the delayed start (I know we were all looking forward to starting day 1!) and then the COVID restrictions with mask wearing and limited capacity entering class-rooms. Your support with following all of our processes was greatly appreciated. We have started the year with 699 students (K – 6), which is very close to the department's prediction for initial planning in August. We have 4 kindergarten classes, 4 pre primary classes and 21 classes from year 1-6. We have had many new families move into our area, and I would like to welcome them to our school community. On Tuesday 2 March, we will be holding a Welcome Parent After-noon Tea in the Kindy area, commencing at 3.15pm to welcome new families. I look forward to meeting many of our new families during this afternoon, and I wish you the best in your educational journey with us. Invitations to the afternoon tea will be out shortly. Thank you to Mrs Cann and the BeYou committee for organising the welcome afternoon tea. Thank You. Over the holidays gardening and cleaning staff have worked hard to ensure that staff and students come back to a clean and green school. It is amazing how Sandra Hillson, Todd Flematti and John Hamill, our hard-working gardeners have managed to get the surrounds looking so good. Also to Debbie Baptist, Nyoman Foster, Lloyd Solver and Diane Ray our hardworking cleaners who ensured that classes and surrounds were clean and ready for staff to prepare their rooms before students arrived back – THANK YOU. I would also like to acknowledge and thank the office staff Donna Caniglia, Carol McLagan and Sue Gross who worked before the commencement of the school being open to ensure that all beginning of the year processes were carried out. This lead to an extremely smooth start to the year! Parent / Teacher Class Meetings: All teachers are in the process of holding their Parent Information sessions. The purpose of these meetings is to outline to parents the teaching and learning programs planned, and organisational structures to be used in the room. Teachers will discuss Curriculum, Behaviour Management, Homework, Communication and other day to day operations of the class. These meetings are not designed to allow time for parent/teacher interviews, however, these could be scheduled at a later

date. Staff have been asked to plan for a meeting to accommodate as many parents as possible and all parents are encouraged to attend where possible. Your child’s classroom teacher will com-municate the time and date of these meetings. Before and After School: Our school’s policy is that students should not be arriving prior to 8.30am as adequate teacher supervision cannot be guaranteed. Students who do arrive early are directed to the Undercover Area where supervision will be provided from 8.00am. Prior to this time, there may be no-one to supervise children. When Parents are accompanying children during this time, they too, are asked to assemble in the Undercover Area, and not outside classrooms. From 8.30am, all gates will be opened and class teachers will be in their room, ready to assume Duty of Care for their students. Parent support is required as the safety of your children is extremely important to us. When children arrive at school (after 8.30am) they should go directly to their classroom. The 8.30am - 8.45am period is used for children to prepare for the morning lessons. Outside play is not permitted during this time. At the end of the school day, children should not remain at school after being dismissed nor play on the equipment as, again, adequate teacher supervision cannot be guaranteed. Camp Australia offers a before and after school service here at Forest Crescent. Parents can register online at: www.campaustralia.com.au or phone Lou, Camp Australia Coordinator on 0422 578 313. Attendance: Regular attendance at school is fundamental to your child’s social and academic learning. In Semester 2 2020, we had 80% of our students (505 students) who attended school greater than 90% of the time, (compared to 79%, 508 students in 2020). We also had 16% of students or 101 students who attended between 80% - 90% “At Risk – Indicated” (compared to 16% or 103 students in 2020) and 22 students who were identified “at moderate risk” attending between 60%-80% of the time compared to 27 students in 2020. As parents, or legal guardians of an enrolled child, you are responsible under the School Education Act 1999 to ensure the attendance of your child at school every day. It is important to assist your child’s achievement and learning by making regular school attendance a priority in your child’s life. The Department of Education’s Student Attendance policy requires parents/guardians to provide an acceptable explanation to the school principal for any absence of their children. Principals must authorise all absences. The Act defines health, religious and cultural observances as reasonable cause for a school absence and the absence would be recorded as “authorised” by the principal. Families who are taking family holidays during school term should also write to the Principal with the length of intended absence. Family holidays during term time cannot be authorised by the Principal and will be recorded as an unauthorised absence. I will be reviewing absences at the end of each term to reward those students who have 100% attendance. P&C AGM : Our P&C will be holding its AGM tonight Wednesday 17 February, commencing at 7.00pm in the staffroom and all parents are welcome. Parents and Citizens' (P&C) associations work in productive partnership with their school principal and the community to promote the interests of the school, and facilitate its development and further improvement, to achieve the best possible outcomes for students The Forest Crescent P&C gives amazing support to our staff and students, ensuring that curriculum areas, the school grounds and general equipment is of the highest standard. Current officer bearers of the P&C may not be nominating to continue their role so it is important that we get as many members as possible to attend the AGM. I look forward to working with all P&C members this year.

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School Parking and Traffic: Safety around schools remains a high priority for the City of Gosnells Ranger Services. To bring about long term changes to parking and traffic behaviour among school communities, efforts between schools, parent communities and the City to educate and monitor driver behaviour will have a greater benefit. As part of its ongoing commitment to the school community, the City’s Rangers will inspect every school at the commencement of each term to ensure the correct parking signage is in place and determine its priority level with regards to parking issues and driver behaviour. Schools that are determined as a high level of importance will be given priority for Ranger attendance. Rangers at the City of Gosnells use the City’s Parking Local Law 2012 to ensure parking remains safe, lawful and allows traffic to flow. Don’t risk a fine for parking illegally around the school – many parking infringements are $100. If you can’t find anywhere around the school, consider parking further away and walk the rest of the distance. Better still, if it’s possible, leave the car at home and walk or cycle to school to improve your health and reduce congestion on the roads. Please note the following information which is re-printed from the City of Gosnells “Safety Around Schools” brochure: School zones: 40km/hr school zones are in place around every school in the City of Gosnells. School zones operate from 7.30am to 9am and 2.30pm to 4pm. Children warning signs and 40km/hr school zone speed signs are the responsibility of Main Roads WA. Kiss and Drive: Kiss and Drive zones typically allow parents to pick up and drop off children adjacent to the main school entrance. Kiss your child, say goodbye, allow them out and drive away as soon as possible. When using the designated Kiss and Drive zone around schools, never leave your car unattended. Continuous yellow line markings: You cannot stop or park anywhere along a single yellow line painted on the edge of the road. This restriction is in place 24 hours a day and attracts a $100 penalty. The City will use yellow lines instead of signage where placement of signs may be difficult, pose a hazard or affect the amenity of an area. It is important that students who are picked up from school use the Kiss and Drive on Hickory Drive as this is the only staff supervised area for after school for pick up. The area next to the Year 1 block and basketball courts is a parking area and not a Kiss and Drive zone. Should all parking bays be full (as they usually are by 2.50pm parents are requested to not “double park” along Redheart Drive but continue through the car park and park at the end of the legal single lane parked cars. If you wait for 3-5 minutes after 3.00pm there are a number of carparks available for use, as most parents have collected their kids. You can then pull in to the carpark safely and pick up your kids! School Bike Racks: It is wonderful to see so many students who ride, scoot or walk to school. As a sustainable school the less car trips we have, the less our carbon footprint, and the less traffic congestion we have before and after school. Just a reminder that bikes in the bike racks should be locked, as even though we lock the gates after 9.00am, there are still opportunities for someone from off-site to steal a bike. Should you not have a lock it is possible to park your bike in the courtyard adjacent to the front office, however we would prefer to minimise the congestion in this area. Also a reminder that students who ride their bikes to and from school must wear an approved helmet. Should students ride to school without their helmet, parents will be notified. Student Assemblies: Unfortunately we are still in Phase 4 of CCOVID restrictions. Assemblies with class items are still prohibited to be performed with parents in attendance as per the Health Department Guidelines and DOE directive. We are hoping that we can resume assemblies with parents present in the near future.

Faction Captains: This year to provide more leadership opportunities, we have elected Faction Captains to lead their factions. Congratulations to the following Year 6 students who were nominated then voted as leaders for their faction.

Kangaroos – Alex B and Coco S Quokkas – Riley T and Amber R Wombats – Jayden C and Tayla W Echidnas – Thomas G and Georgia O

I know that Miss Sandhu, Mrs Horan, Mrs Sellick and Mr Miller look forward to the Faction Captains assisting with general sporting requirements, as well as Cross Country and Athletics Carnival practice later in the year.

GOOD STANDING POLICY Good Standing provides a system that assists in ensuring that our students maintain a satisfactory level of attendance, academic participation and behaviour. Good Standing compliments the FCPS Behaviour Management Policy, and reinforces the standard of behaviour expected of our students in order to maintain their good standing status. Maintaining good standing is an incentive for students as it enables them to participate in good standing activities, which will be fun and engaging events. As discussed with students, it is intended that all students will at all times remain “in good standing”. Maintaining Good Standing requires a student to:

Behave in a way that is appropriate and inclusive of staff and student rights (as indicated in the Behaviour Management Policy)

Maintain satisfactory attendance and punctuality

Adhere to FCPS dress code (including the use of sun safe

hats)

Adhere to the school rules (as indicated in the Behaviour Management Policy)

Complete class work and assessments as requested by their teacher

Ultimately, Good Standing aims to encourage all students to take responsibility for their actions and to improve his or her general performance. It also allows students who maintain good standing to be recognised in a positive way.

Students who move out of Good Standing due to their behaviour will have their status reviewed every 5 weeks. Where behaviour has improved and no further consequences have been enforced, Good Standing will be reinstated. Good Standing is also reinstated at the beginning of each term.

I would like to thank everyone in the Forest Crescent School Community for such a wonderful start to the year. It really has been very smooth! I look forward to working with you again in 2021. Regards Andrew Holmes

Status – In Good Standing Students in good standing are able to attend good standing events and are allowed classroom privileges.

Status – Danger Zone Students in the danger zone will still be allowed to attend good standing events but will not be given any classroom privileges.

Status – No Good Standing Students with no good standing will not be allowed to attend good standing events nor will they be given any classroom privileges.

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Introduction: Welcome to another fabulous year of 'sustainability' programs and activities. Education for Sustainability helps develop in our students the knowledge, skills, values and world-views necessary for them to act in ways that focus on protecting environments (by reducing their ecological footprint) and creating a more socially-just world (by increasing their social handprint). Forest Crescent PS has been an accredited member of the Sustainable Schools Initiative of WA for 11 years now and we are very proud of the many ways our staff and student make a positive impact in our community. Some of these ways include:

recycling of paper, batteries, soft plastics, mobile phones, ring pulls, coffee pods

caring for our local Forest Reserve lake, native bushland remanent , frog habitat and worm farms

tree planting

donation drives for Good Sammy Industries, Cancer Council of WA, Foodbank (WA)

waste-minimisation efforts (zero-waste lunchbox challenges, school grounds clean-ups) vegetable garden beds and much more. Zero-waste Lunchbox Challenge: These challenges are held in weeks 4 and 8 of every term and are one way we promote waste-reduction actions. Our first whole-school challenge for 2021 will run in week four, from Monday 22nd February to Friday 26th February. One day is randomly selected as 'Checklist Day' when results will be collected for each class. The aim is for students to pack a lunchbox that produces no waste (food scraps are the exception). To achieve this, we encourage food choices that can be stored in reusable snack or sandwich containers. Teachers have been asked to go through the expectations with their class prior to this event. Upcoming Events: Watch out for information in the coming weeks about term one events, including Schools Clean-up Day, Harmony Week and Ride2School Day. Waste-free Wednesday: A few classes have also signed up to the Waste-free Wednesday program, which runs alongside the zero-waste lunchbox challenges. In recognition of the wonderful work of our Crescent Crunch canteen manager, Michelle, to offer food and snacks with recyclable packaging, we will consider (only for Waste-free Wednesdays) , that lunch orders, and lunch from home, with recyclable packaging like paper and soft-scrunchable plastics, to be acceptable.

Chaplains Chat

Welcome to New Year filled with new hopes, dreams, and opportunities. I have been at Forest Crescent since 2012. My role at the school is to provide pastoral support for students, parents and staff. I am available on Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s. If you would like to speak with me appointments can be made by phoning the school, leaving a message with the Carol or Sue in the office or email Louise.parish@youthcare.org.au Students can be referred through their class teacher, admin team or a parent. They can make their own appointments at the front desk or drop into my office at recess or lunch. I also run programs with students throughout the year. Year 6’s are involved in my high school transition workshops which occur in term 2,3, and 4 and Rainbows groups for students who have experienced grief and loss. If you would like your child to participate in the Rainbows program, please let me know. Please see below for tips on building stronger relationships with your children. Louise Parish

A simple formula for parenting By Michael Grose

Show kids how to behave.

Keep pets to develop nurturance and responsibility.

Be the adult in the parent-child relationship.

Cultivate good manners.

Build character daily.

Catch kids being kind, gentle and strong.

Establish healthy habits early.

Stick to routines.

Have fun.

Eat together every day.

Focus on excellence, not perfection.

Spend individual time with each child each week.

Expect kids to change.

Keep an adult only place at home.

Admit it when you’re wrong.

Choose time and place to deliver big messages.

Keep the meal table free from arguments.

Prepare for tomorrow the night before.

Expect children to help.

Encourage siblings to apologise.

Send kids to school with breakfast, a kiss and a smile.

Celebrate success as a family.

Spend time in nature together.

Let go!

Uniforms can be purchased from the Uniform Shop, you can download the Flexischools app or put in an order on the paper order form and drop to the office door or visit the uniform shop. Orders on Flexischool must be placed by Wednesday’s 5pm to receive the order on Thursday’s.

DON’T FORGET YOUR WATER BOTTLES!

Children are only allowed to fill their water bottles from the drink fountains s o p l e a s e remember your water bottle.

Virtual Information Sessions Find out everything you need to know about Outside School Hours Care. We’ve organised informative and interactive sessions that ensure you get the most relevant information for your family. These sessions will be run by our leaders in the OSHC community and will answer questions on programs that are offered, registration and booking process, billing, Child Care Subsidy and more. If you would like more information regarding Camp Australia’s services but cannot attend any of the sessions, please feel free to visit your service and speak with your friendly Coordinator. Alternately, you can send us an email at oshc@campaustralia.com.au and one of our friendly Customer Care representatives can answer your questions.

To register free for a virtual info sessions, visit

Come and see Ms Jarvinen in the undercover area next Wednesday morning between 8am and 8.45am to get your star card!

Collect stars by riding your bike or scooter, or walking to school every Wednesday and bringing your star card to the undercover area to get stamped.

Kindy families – you can join in too! There will be star cards in your classroom and the kindy staff will stamp it for you every Wednesday that you walk or ride!

Let’s work together to reduce our school’s carbon footprint, not to mention the traffic!!

Session 1—Tues 16 Feb Session 2—Thurs 18 Feb

9.30am (AWST) 5pm (AWST)

11am (ACST) 6.30pm (ACST)

11.30am (AEST) 7pm (AEST)

12pm (ACDT) 7.30pm (ACDT)

12.30pm (AEDT) 8pm (AEDT