Welcome to Term 3, which is sure to be yet another busy and exciting term for students and staff at Aubin Grove Primary School.

New school chaplain

Students and teachers will once again have access to a chaplain after Amberlie Evans joined the school community this term.

The full-time Aubin Grove position is her first school chaplaincy position through YouthCARE, having recently completed a diploma in counselling.

Amberlie has spent the past few weeks introducing herself to staff and students, both in the classrooms and playgrounds, and said she looked forward to building trusting relationships with them.

She has a passion for working with children, having previously been employed in early childhood education as well as doing a lot of professional development in child protection.

“I want to be able to give the kids someone to talk to and trust,” she said.

“I will be that someone that listens to them and supports them to find solutions to their problems and any matters that are affecting them.”

Amberlie said she was keen to identify the needs of the school and incorporate them into programs. She is also available to support families in need and school staff as well.

“I am really eager to get into it and start to make a change,” she said.

Principal Frank Pansini said he was delighted to have Amberlie at the school and that her enthusiasm were already resonating with students.

Mr Pansini said it was a very important role, helping kids to feel safe and happy at school and Amberlie would be working closely with the administration and teachers to do so.

He said such was the value placed on the role, school funds had been used to increase the position to five days a week, as only 1.5 days of school chaplaincy was covered by Commonwealth funding.

Staff and parents can use a referral process that the school has established to gain access to Amberlie. This will soon be available on the school website but in the meantime please make contact with your child’s classroom teacher or the appropriate Deputy Principal:

  • Mrs Fritchley (Kindergarten-Year 1)
  • Mrs Steel (Years 2-3)
  • Mrs Smith (Years 4-6)

Therapy Focus Art Competition

The artwork of two Year 6 students will feature in a soon-to-be-published book after being selected as winners of a state-wide competition.

Illustrations by Sofia M and Ella C were among 20 winning artworks in the 16th annual Therapy Focus art competition, held each year to encourage greater understanding, acceptance and inclusion of children with special needs.

A total of 4341 entries were received from 58 schools, and the winning entries will feature as illustrations in a storybook written by Therapy Focus behaviour support clinician Eddie Drury.

Mobile Phone Policy

Aubin Grove Primary School has a policy that recommends students should not bring mobile phones to school.

But Mr Pansini understands the various reasons why parents want their children to have a phone when going to and from school.

For those students who do carry a phone, Mr Pansini said they should be handed in to their teacher at the start of the school day, to be locked away and returned to the student at the end of the day.

The phones should not be kept in school bags, and should never be used on the school grounds.

Mr Pansini said mobile phones had the potential to be used for a variety of purposes other than what they were intended for.

And through social media, calls, text or even filming, they could cause a range of social dilemmas within the school, as they can be used as a form of bullying or exclusion of students.

“This can then impact on the right of our students to feel safe and happy while they are at school,” he said.

Mr Pansini said that sending mobile phones to school with students was done at the risk to the parent and the school took no responsibility for investigating the loss, theft or damage of students’ mobile phones.

Junior and Senior Choir performances

This term will be an exciting one for the school choirs as they both participate in major public performances.

On Friday August 18, the Junior Choir is participating in the One Big Voice and will perform at the Perth Arena.

They will be amongst 4000 primary school students taking part in WA’s biggest children’s choir festival.

Tickets for the performance are on sale through Ticketek, with the Beethoven section the best viewing for our choir.

Then on Saturday September 16, the Senior Choir will once again take part in the Massed Choir Festival which will this year move to the Perth Concert Hall.

Further information such as rehearsal days and permission forms for the Massed Choir Festival have been provided to students, a copy of which is available on our website.