23 May 2023

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents and Carers

The first four weeks of term have certainly been busy and there are more big events to come. Thank you to all the parents who have supported our recent events, and a big thank you to all of the staff for their efforts in making these happen. I also want to recognise Mrs Campbell for her hard work in organising a brilliant Mother’s Day Breakfast. The turn out by our parents was exceptional and it was great to see so many of our mothers, grandmothers and carers attend. I also want to thank our staff for their assistance in my new temporary role as Principal for this term. Stepping into Ms Coventry’s shoes has been made much easier with the support of the great team we have at Middle Swan.

Three Way Conferences

3 Way Conferences will take place in Week 9 of this term. This is an opportunity for you and your child to meet with the teacher to discuss your child’s achievement and progress this semester. Further information will be sent out by your child’s teacher regarding dates and times within the next few weeks. I encourage all parents who able to attend, and we look forward to seeing as many of you as possible for these important sessions.

Reports

Teachers will be working extra hard during the coming weeks to complete the school reports. During this time our teachers continue to plan, deliver lessons, and complete assessment and marking. Please be mindful of the pressure our staff are under during this very busy time. The Semester 1 Reports will be available on Connect in Week 10 of this term. It is important that you can access Connect to view your child’s report. If you need support to do this, please contact the school so we can assist you.

Swimming

All swimming lessons will take place next term. Pre-Primary to Year 3 will commence on day two of Week 1 in Term 3. Notes for these students will come home on Monday of Week 6. Please make sure you read all information carefully, and to ensure your child does not miss out, complete all forms and return with payment by the end of Week 9.

Kindy Enrolments

Kindy enrolments for 2024 are now open. If your child is turning 4 by 30 June 2024, we encourage you to enrol for next year as soon as possible. This will assist us with our class and staff planning. If you know parents who have a child who will be kindy age next year and they intend to enrol at Middle Swan Primary School, please inform them to enrol as soon as possible also.

The Smith Family

The Smith Family are offering the opportunity for families to apply for their Learning for Life Program scholarships. The scholarship applications are open to students in Pre-Primary to Year 6. The Smith Family recognises that some children need extra support to stay at school and go on to further studies or a job.

Learning for Life helps create better futures for children in need by providing:

• Financial assistance from a sponsor to help families afford the cost of their child’s education;
• Support from a Learning for Life Program Coordinator to connect the child and their family to local learning opportunities and other supports; and
• Access to Smith Family educational Programs to help children get the most out of their school years.

 The Learning for Life scholarship has three recruitment criteria:

• That the Primary Carer hold a Pensioner or Health Care Card
• That the children have an attendance rate of 85% or higher
• The children attend a partner school (Middle Swan is a partner school).

If families are interested in having their children join the Scholarship Program, they will need to fill out a Digital Referral Application. Please contact the school and we will provide the link for the application, once we have established that the family meets the criteria. You can still make a paper copy referral if you prefer this method.

Karen Sullivan
Principal

Deputy Principal Report

Mother’s Day Breakfast

What a wonderful turn out that we had to our Mother’s Day breakfast.  Families enjoyed a buffet of hash browns, fruit platters, croissants, yoghurt, muffins, pancakes, waffles and many other delicious treats, followed by a lovely Year One assembly. We celebrate and recognise mothers (and carers) as first educators and for all the things they do – big and small!  We would like to acknowledge and thank those who supported our event and brought our school community together including Browne’s Dairy, IGA Stratton, Woolworths Midvale, the Parent and Child Centre Swan (Hub) and Michelle Roberts, the MLA Member for Midland Australian Labor Party.  We would also like to extend a warm thank you to the amazing Middle Swan PS staff who volunteered their time and helped to run the breakfast.

Parent Information

Cygnets – 3 year old programme

The Cygnets programme has started on Thursday mornings at the Parent and Child Centre (Hub) for children enrolled to come to Middle Swan Primary School for Kindy 2024.

Saver Plus – helping take the stress out of back-to-school time

The Saver Plus community program has helped over 55,000 Australians take the stress out of back-to-school time. It’s free for eligible people to join.

At Saver Plus, we pair you with a savings coach while you budget and save over the next 10 months. You attend online workshops to learn tips, tricks and information to grow your budgeting and savings skills. Once you reach your agreed savings goal, ANZ matches your savings dollar-for-dollar, up to $500. You can use that money towards education costs such as uniforms, textbooks, laptops or extra-curricular activities such as sport or music.

You could be eligible to join Saver Plus if you:

• have a Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card
• are at least 18 years old
• have some regular income from work (you or your partner) including casual, part-time, full-time or seasonal (we also accept child support and carer’s payment as income)
• have a child at school or attend vocational education yourself.

If you’re eligible, start now and we’ll help take the stress out of next year’s back to school.

To find out more, or to apply, go to the link below or call  1300 610 355.

Interm Swimming – Term 3

Swimming lesson programs are allocated to schools and run throughout the year. This year Interm Swimming lessons will take place in Term 3. 

• Pre-primary – Year 3 students will attend Weeks 1 and 2

• Year 4 -6 will attend Week 6 for 80 minute lessons

Information Enrolment forms will be sent home in the next few weeks.   

Life Education Parent Session

National Reconciliation Week – Morning Tea