FROM DR ROBERTS

We had a successful Walk-Through-Wednesday last week for prospective Kindergarten students 2025.  If you know of anyone in your neighbourhood who has a child starting Kindergarten next year and they wish to come to our school, please ask them to complete an application form.  If all those who attended last Wednesday enrol, we already have 22 students.  If we have more, then we will run two Kindergarten sessions next year as we have a maximum of 20 students in each session.  Applications close at the end of week 1, Term 3.

Exciting news!  Organised only at the end of last week with Edith Cowan University (ECU), we will be hosting two Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy students starting Thursday to the end of the year.  Their names are Fariha Zaman (she already has a Bachelor of Dental Surgery) and Tshering Dorji (he already has a Bachelor of Clinical Psychology).  Both student Counsellors will be working at HPPS every Thursday and Friday morning.  Their field placement requires them to work with 5-6 students each.  Both Fariha and Tshering will attend our Thursday SEN (Special Educational Needs) meetings.

Teachers will be able to complete a referral form if they believe a student in their class would benefit from counselling and together with the SEN team members, our students will be designated to an ECU student counsellor.  Work will begin with our students, parents and teachers after parental permission has been gained.  Consent is voluntary and can be withdrawn at any time. Sessions with students will be weekly for about 40 minutes.

The aim is to support our students who may be facing personal challenges impacting their learning.  Possible areas could include helping students meet social, emotional, learning, and behavioural needs, resilience building, confidence and self-esteem building, anger management, dealing with conflict, anxiety, trauma, emotional regulation.  We are so fortunate to have been asked by the University to host these Masters students.  In the past, we have hosted Social Worker students most successfully, for the benefit of our students.  We know our students will benefit having the opportunity to work individually with student counsellors on a weekly basis.

 

SCHOOL PROCESSES 

Parent Interviews will be held in week 7 on Tuesday 28 May.  As we did last year, students will remain at school and taught by relief staff, while classroom teachers meet parents.  Based on last year’s survey feedback, this year, we will have both phone interviews and face-to-face interviews.

The selection of a time will be made available to you in the next two weeks.  Further information regarding where to meet will also become available.

 

DID YOU KNOW?

• The School Board will meet at 6:00pm on Wednesday 8 May
• Bicycles or other vehicles need to be locked if left at school
• trees on the school grounds are NOT to be climbed
• walls on school grounds are not to be walked on
• Parents are to supervise their children after school if children are playing
• watches, with more than ‘time’ facilities are not to be used during school time
• jewellery, other than watches and stud/small hoop earrings, are not worn to school
• Children are still learning and need to know that swearing and inappropriate language is offensive and has no place in school
• TA3 Assembly is tomorrow, Thursday 9 May

 

WELLBEING WARRIORS

Dear Hawker Park Community

This term we will be starting Wellbeing Warriors.

Wellbeing Warriors is a new initiative which is being implemented into our school to provide students with extra support for their wellbeing.

The aim is to create a safe, fun environment for students, build their wellbeing and find support from other students. Connecting with others, learning new skills, building positive thinking, behaviour and improving peer relationships.

The Wellbeing Warriors will be led by the year 6 children and Mrs Sherriff.

Every Thursday, 5x year 6, Well Being Warriors will lead a range of activities on a year-by-year rotation.

Term 2’s Wellbeing Warriors are:

Ezra

Jackson

Kyle

Alfie

Harry

Thank you, Wellbeing Warriors, for your dedication and support in running this new initiative.

Mrs Sherriff

Mental Health Leader

 

ARE YOU SAFE AT HOME DAY?

This 10 May, start the conversation. Ask. Listen. Believe.

Family violence is when your partner, ex, carer, family member or someone you’re in a ‘family-like’ relationship with uses threatening, controlling and violent behaviour that makes you scared for your own – or someone else’s – safety and wellbeing.

Family violence doesn’t always involve physical or sexual abuse. People use a wide range of abusive behaviours to maintain power and control in relationships. No matter what form it takes, family violence is never acceptable.

It is never okay for someone to:

• Control where you go or who you speak to
• Physically attack or hurt you
• Threaten you or your loved ones, including a pet
• Limit your access to necessities, including face masks or healthcare
• Stalk or monitor you, including online
• Force you to do sexual things you don’t want to do
• Regularly put you down, humiliate you or attack your self-esteem
• Control your finances and financial decisions
• Threaten to take away something you value, like custody of your children or your visa status
• Stop you from practising religious, spiritual or cultural beliefs and rituals
• Make you feel scared to say ‘no’ to doing something

Find a service

 

PREMIER’S READING CHALLENGE

Embark on an epic reading journey and be in the running to win weekly prizes in the 2024 Premier’s Reading Challenge.

About the challenge

The Premier’s Reading Challenge is a literacy engagement program established in 2022 to:

• encourage students to read more books
• enjoy reading
• improve literacy levels.

The mission is for students in kindergarten to Year 10 to read 12 books over 4 months from 6 May to 6 September. That’s right—just 12, students can read:

• books
• short stories
• graphic novels
• eBooks
• talking books
• audiobooks
• poems
• anything that sparks their interest and gets them reading.

Whether they’re a curious kindergartener or a high-schooler, there is something of interest for readers at any and every level.

Adventures await. Books take us to places we only dream about and even further. Where else can we experience a mutiny on a pirate ship or jump on to a time-traveling bicycles.

Students will expand their vocabulary, learn new facts, and impress their friends with fancy new words that they have learned.

At the end of the challenge, students who complete it will receive a special certificate signed by the Premier. They can hang it proudly on their bedroom wall; it’s like winning a gold medal in reading!

Get your students ready to explore, grab their reading lights and bookmarks and set sail on their next reading adventure.

The next great story is only one page turn away.

Benefits of the challenge

The challenge will:

• raise the profile of reading and literacy in schools
• give students a focus for their reading
• encourage students to enjoy reading and read more books
• encourage students to participate by being challenged
• offer incentives and prizes for readers
• build self-esteem, pride, school unity and a sense of achievement among students
• increase the involvement of parents in their child’s reading
• increase the number of library books borrowed
• contribute to increased literacy levels.

Prizes

https://www.premiersreadingchallenge.wa.edu.au/prizes

How to register

Create an account by selecting the ‘Sign up’ option.

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SCHOOL WATCH

Recently, we have had multiple cases of vandalism, theft and damage to school property.

We are asking the School community to help the school and be vigilant and report any suspicious behaviours to School Watch.

The partnership between the Education Department and the WA Police Force helps to protect our schools from vandalism, theft and damage.

School watch works with the police and Neighbourhood Watch to minimise crime at school premises. Our school community also plays a vital role, particularly after hours and during school holidays.

What to report

Community members to report the following to School Watch:

• unusual noises, such as glass breaking or banging
• vehicles parked at a school on weekends or during holidays
• groups of people ’hanging around’ on school grounds.

The most important times to be vigilant is during school holidays. Schools are unattended and more vulnerable than usual to crime.

How to report

Report any suspicious behaviour immediately to either:

• School Watch on 1800 177 777
• the Police on 13 14 44.

If you contact School Watch, our Education Department security officers attend schools in the metropolitan area.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Week 4:

8 May – Hawker Headlines

8 May – Board meeting

9 May – Assembly TA3

Week 5:

14 May – Football clinic (SEDA)

15 May – Lions screening PP/1

17 May – Interschool sports (home)

Week 6:

22 May – Hawker Headlines

23 May – TA5 Assembly

24 May – Interschool sports (Dalmain)

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COMMUNITY NOTICE BOARD

Please see our noticeboard outside administration for the following events:

• HPPS Playgroup – Monday morning during school term – 8.30am-10.30am
• John Forrest Specialist programs – Tennis 30 May/Netball 1 & 8 May – trial dates
• Perth Scarecrow competition – Friday 13 September
• Creative Kids Art Club – 22 April-20 June
• Stirling Leisure Centre – Junior Sports competitions
• Greenwood College – Parent info night – Wednesday 22 May
• Government Funded Program: Saver Plus – Assisting families with education costs
• Auskick – Bring a Friend – May 4 to May 11
• After School soccer – Glendale PS – Free 2 week taster program
• Ellenbrook Fencing Club – Ellenbrook Secondary College – “Come and Try” special for Term 3 (Tues 16 Jul to Sat 21 Sept) 
• Career Conversations – Pathways and Opportunities – Tuesday 14 May – Thursday 25 July
• Australian Sports Camps – 3-day school holiday sport camp
• Mercedes College – Bring It On: The Musical – 25-28 July