Please assist us in reducing vandalism at the school by contacting one of the telephone numbers listed below if you notice any suspicious behaviour on the school grounds.

Welcome to the first Newsletter for Term 4. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the school community for such a warm welcome to Byford Primary School. If you did not receive the letter I sent home during the first week of term, my name is Jody Harrington and I am the new Principal here. I am very excited to have won this position and look forward to working with all members of this wonderful school community.

This term we also welcomed Diane Peggs to our school as the new Manager of Corporate Services. Di comes to us with a wealth of experience and most recent roles at Thornlie SHS and Aspiri PS. It is great to have Di on board and I know you will all welcome Di to the school as warmly as you have done me.

The students have also given me a really warm welcome and the school has a friendly and caring atmosphere. One of the things I really enjoy about working in schools is that I can really be a part of the school and community. I will endeavour to be in and around the school in the mornings and afternoons at drop off and pick up times, please feel free to introduce yourselves or just say hello. I would love to personally meet as many of you as possible over the term and coming years.

I have been pleased will how the term has started and how diligently the students have gotten back into the teaching and learning program. Term 4 is always a busy term as we prepare End of Year Reports, we celebrate the year that has been and we prepare for 2021. Part of our preparation for 2021 is class structures and placements. This can often be a stressful time for school staff and families. While we are planning class structures and placements it is important that we have as much information as possible to make informed decisions that best meet the needs of our students and school. Firstly, I ask that any families that are not planning on returning to Byford PS in 2021 to please let the office know. This will ensure that we have accurate projected enrolments and will hopefully reduce the risk of having to restructure classes once the school year commences. Secondly, if you have any class placement requests based on the educational needs of your child please also forward these onto me. It is important to note that with over 360 students it may not be possible to meet all requests, but all will be considered. Please email this required information to Byford.PS@education.wa.edu.au and attention it to Jody Harrington.

I am sure you would have all seen that the Premier has recently announced that we are continuing Phase 4 of COVID restrictions for a little while longer. At a school level this means that we are continuing to adhere to the Department of Education Phase 4 Operating Guidelines until further notice. I will keep you all updated as we know more and explain what the move to Phase 5 will look like for schools once this is announced.

Thank you again for your warm welcome to Byford PS and to those that have been able to make time to introduce themselves. I look forward to meeting more families over the course of the term.

Jody Harrington
Principal

Ph 9526 6300

Email: Byford.PS@education.wa.edu.au

Save these dates:

• Tuesday 3rd November - Early Childhood Sports Day (Kindy / Pre-Primary) 
• Wednesday 11th - Friday 13th November - Year 6 Camp
• Monday 23rd - Friday 4th December - Swimming Lessons
• Tuesday 24th November - Byford PS Kindergarten Orientation day (9 - 10am)
• Wednesday 2nd December - Parent Thank You Morning Tea (10am)
• Thursday 3rd December - Community Kindergarten Orientation day (9-10am)
• Friday 4th December - Pre Primary Parent Information Session (2-3pm)
• Tuesday 8th December - BPS Kindy Orientation day (9-10am)
• Wednesday 9th December - End of Year Concert (if going ahead)
• Monday 14th December - Students Reports sent
• Wednesday 16th December - Year 6 Graduation (3pm start)
• Thursday 16th December - Year 6 Excursion.  Last day of school.

On Tuesday 3 November, Byford Primary School will be hosting an “Early Childhood Family Sports Day”.  This event will involve our Kindergarten and Pre-Primary

children, together with the children from the Byford Community Kindy.  The morning events will commence at 9am on the oval and will include:

• Year level races and team relay events
• Parent races
• Younger sibling races
• Rotational tabloid stations

As this is not a usual attendance day for our Yellow Kindy Group we are asking that parents arrange for their child to be collected immediately after the morning events.  Please bring your child to the classroom by 8:45am.  On Friday 6^th November they will only be required to attend for a half-day session as a result of the extra morning.  Attendance on the Friday will be from 8:35am to 12 noon.

Family involvement is encouraged throughout the morning.  We will be breaking for a picnic recess on the oval, where children can sit with their families and enjoy a morning snack together.  So, for those classes that usually participate in shared fruit for their morning tea, no fruit will be required on this day.

Please ensure your child has a labelled hat and water bottle available on the day.  They can wear any coloured top they like but will need to have on appropriate running shoes and shorts.  Sunblock would also be recommended for the morning.  Please remember that this is a school event and as such all students will remain in the care of school staff throughout the day.  You are welcome to follow your children between events but permission must be sought before taking a child from any site, including to the toilets.  We will have shade tents set up for our students to sit under.  Parents / families are encouraged to bring their own seating, picnic and shade as required.  We are expecting the morning’s events to run until about midday.

Byford Primary School would like to say a huge thank you to Mark Corbett from Byford Bobcats for filling up our sandpits in the Early Childhood area!

In Italian in term 3, Rooms 9, 10 and 13 learnt about places around town, in particular, the local ice-cream store. They learnt about some of the common Italian ice-cream flavours and how to order ice-cream. In week 10 of Term 3, students participated in a gelato stall. Students were required to converse in Italian to order and receive a gelato (Italian ice-cream), including the flavour they wanted. They had a choice of chocolate, vanilla or mint (cioccolato, vaniglia o mente). Many had never tried authentic Italian gelato and a great time was had by all! 

We are getting excited as our new Indigenous Garden is beginning to take shape, near the green basketball court and Art Room.

Our school gardener, Mr MacWilliams has worked hard clearing the area of grass and preparing the area for new soil, ready for planting some specially selected Indigenous flora.

Mr MacWilliams has been supported by one of our dedicated parents, Mr John Squire. 

Mr Squire is an important member of our local garden and landscaping supplies business, Mundijong Garden Supplies. John has volunteered his time, organising soil delivery from Mundijong Garden Supplies and then helping with the install to build our new garden area.

We are looking forward to our Year 1 teachers, Mrs Verma and Ms Mclean working with Mr MacWilliams to select special Indigenous plant varieties as we will grow this new garden in the coming weeks.

Continued parent and community member support is always much appreciated as we work together to improve and develop our school.

Well done to all our students for their awesome effort in participating in Edu Dance this year.  The children’s performances were amazing. Thank you very much to all our parents, grandparents, family members and friends who attended the afternoon. It was great to see so much support for the children on their special day.

Videos of each Edu-Dance performance can be view by clicking the links below:

Pre-Primary

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TjFqE1HXJvQkykaEd5tXenZaptWkL1zd/view?usp=sharing

Year 1

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CP77WLunx7I6xHkNg7xiLFT7p8N8cISZ/view?usp=sharing

Year 2

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15UKs_hcjeRR-iLQh_CWm3XZfnkB5Ieix/view?usp=sharing

Year 3

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hTPmWU_Fk3Iao1xqcrVzZMPtFCchoCMd/view?usp=sharing

Year 4

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wuqUb5qs7lwAyoVdoAoSRLJ4yehtyZyT/view?usp=sharing

Year 4 & 5

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_Z5wLhYSDXgmeah2qBJmawYps4SlM6gY/view?usp=sharing

Year 6

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Eq8ujlvLDSnizDnXRiCD-aeOGmf2Br_a/view?usp=sharing

Each month two students are chosen as our ‘Aussie of the Month’ and are presented with a badge, certificate and reward at our assembly.  It is awarded to an outstanding citizen in our school community. 

Congratulations to our winners Mia P and Bindi B

Quiz Night

Unfortunately, due to lack of numbers,  the P&C quiz night was cancelled.  

P&C Meeting

Our next P&C meeting will be held on Thursday 5th November 2020 at 6:30pm in the Library.

Kind regards 

Rishona Van Trier 

P&C President 

Canteen

The Byford Primary School Canteen is open for recess and lunch on Monday and Friday. Orders can be made direct to the canteen, or through QuickCliq  https://quickcliq.com.au/.

If you have any spare time on a Monday or Friday, volunteers are required to help in the canteen.

School Banking

School Banking is held in the Library every Friday morning at 8:15am.

New to School Banking?  There are three simple ways to get your child started. 

Uniform Shop

QuickCliq is our onling ordering system and it's an easy and convenient way to order your child’s uniform.  QuickCliq is approved by the Department of Education, it’s free, safe and secure.  You can use Paypal or Credit Card for immediate payment.  You can also use Direct Deposit.  To sign up, click www.Quickcliq.com.au 

If you are unable to order online, order forms (with cash payment) can be left at the Front Office.  Please ensure there is a name and contact number provided.

Orders can still be placed at the Uniform Shop which opens Wednesday (fortnightly, same day as assembly) from 2:15pm - 3:00pm.

To ease the financial burden on families over the year, we encourage parents to make payments throughout the year, to be assigned to fees, excursions and swimming etc. 

This can be as a regular weekly or fortnightly payment, or whenever you have funds available.  See the Admin Staff in the front office to arrange this.  You will be provided a breakdown of payments made, should you require.

Payment options are as follows:

• Cash
• EFTPOS
• Credit / Debit Card over the phone
• Direct Deposit – Byford Primary  BSB: 066-040  Account No: 19902028

Please enter the name of your child and the purpose of the payment in the description field i.e. A Smith Zoo Exc. 

Please DO NOT use this account for P&C payments

Hi everyone, recently it was “Mental Health Week.” The question is, did anyone take on any advice?

Well, it is difficult with our busy lives at times to self-care. But from little things, big things grow.

Sleep. Not enough sleep has many bad side effects, like lack of motivation to do things. Grumpiness, fatigue, head fogginess (lack of clarity when thinking) and falling asleep in the middle of doing something.

Having enough and good sleep is one of those little things from which other things grow and helps us to function better and to feel better.

Ways to get more sleep or improve your sleep are;

• No electronic devices for 1 hour before sleep. Instead have a shower, which releases chemicals in the body which help you to get ready for sleep. Read a book or do something that helps to quieten you down for sleep.
• Make your room as dark as possible and no electronics in the bedroom as the electro- magnetism from the devices interfere with your brain waves as well.

At different ages people need different amounts of sleep.

Joe Grida - School Chaplain

As part of The Fathering Project involvement with your school I will be including helpful tips and ideas for all fathers and father-figures. I hope these tips will help, inspire and encourage all fathers and father-figures to be the best that they can be, as all fathers and father-figures are critically important in every child’s life. Click here for Tip 36 – Equipping Separated Dads.

Sunset Lawn Bowls

Please remember to bring your hat to school each day.  It is important to protect ourselves from the sun.  Your hat must be wide brim or bucket style. 

Students who do not have a hat will not be able to participate in sport / fitness or any outside activity and will be restricted to the undercover area.  So please remember - No Hat, No Play!

Byford Secondary College - 2021 Instrumental Music Program

Byford Secondary College provides excellent opportunities to help your child succeed. In keeping with this belief, Byford Secondary College offers new students coming into Year 7 in 2021 access to Instrumental Music Lessons provided by Instrumental Music School Services (IMSS). During Primary School Transition days Byford Secondary College provides an opportunity for any new students interested in joining the Instrumental Music Program to complete the Musical Aptitude Indicator test.  After this process, students may be offered a place in the Instrumental music program.

If a student is selected into the music program they will receive weekly instrumental lessons at no cost during school time and will be placed in classroom music classes in lieu of performing arts class in Year 7 and 8 and as an elective in Year 9 and 10.  Students accepting a place in the music program are expected to continue their instrument until at least the end of Year 10, with the opportunity to continue until Year 12. Students are also required to attend their instrumental lessons regularly, as well as performances and after school ensemble where applicable. 

If you would be interested in the opportunity for your child to join the instrumental program, please contact the Music Coordinator Jake Bignell via email at jake.bignell@education.wa.edu.au

Byford Carols

Due to the COVID restrictions still in place in the Shire of Serpentine/Jarrahdale, this year's Byford Carols will be a livestreamed event on Saturday 5th December commencing at 7.00pm. 

This event has been operating for the past 25 years in Byford and we look forward to the local community still being able to participate in celebrating Christmas this year.

Armadale Kelmscott Swimming Club

Armadale Kelmscott Swimming Club meets fortnightly on Friday evenings at the Armadale Fitness & Aquatic Centre for races and time trials.  Junior, Intermediate, Fitness, State Development & Senior training squads available.  New members and spectators are welcome to attend.  Enquiries please call President, Patty Blackwell on 0409 913 669 or Registrar, Matt Garske on 0497 157 319.  For more information - https://akscdragon.org.au/

Come Try Kayaking

Pre requisite:   Must have basic swimming skills (Stage 5 or equivalent)

All gear provided (boat, paddle pfd) - Limited Bookings - Children (8+) and Adults