ELC Updates & Reminders - 25.2.25
NOTICE FROM HEAD OF PRIMARY
Dear Parents and Guardians
Now what we are in week four I can really see how the students have embraced their start of day routines in each of the classes. Whether it is changing books, handing in reading diaries or even going to the bathroom before lessons start, it is clear the students now know what to do each morning and are comfortable with the routine.
Beyond mere presence, arriving punctually is equally vital to maximizing the benefits of school. When students are late, they miss the normal routine followed by their peers and they also miss critical opening moments of lessons—be it foundational instructions, a daily review, class discussions, or the chance to take a deep breath and get ready to focus. I urge families to prioritize timely arrivals, as this discipline ensures that every student begins their day equipped to engage fully with the curriculum and their teachers. A prompt start is a powerful step toward academic excellence.
The connection between regular school attendance and academic success is well-documented and compelling, particularly at our primary level. Research from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reveals that children with higher absence rates in early primary school demonstrate lower reading skills by Year 3, highlighting the essential connection between consistent attendance and literacy achievement. There is also similar research around Numeracy that highlight a related effect. It does seem common sense though. The more school a child misses, the greater the negative impact on learning. Each day in the classroom builds upon the last, fostering mastery of concepts and cultivating the habits necessary for lifelong learning. We are committed to supporting you in this endeavour so please reach out if you are needing assistance with school attendance.
Mark Douglas
Head of Primary School
REMINDERS
- Contacting the Early Learning Centre: Email elcreception@stmarks.wa.edu.au or phone 9403 1398.
- If your child will be late, absent or leaving early: Email absentee@stmarks.wa.edu.au or use the App.
- Please include your child’s first name, surname and class in the subject line of emails to the School.
- Any changes to child collection arrangements should be emailed to elcreception@stmarks.wa.edu.au.
If possible, please try and establish a regular routine for collections so that changes are kept to a minimum. - Apply sunscreen to your child before school every day. School hats are required every day.
UPDATED FROM PREVIOUS WEEK
K-1 CONFIDENTIALITY AGREEMENT FOR 2025 – SOME PARENT RESPONSES STILL DUE PLEASE
Before parents or other family members are invited to assist in the ELC classrooms, we ask that parents respond as soon as possible to the ‘Permission Question’ sent out via Consent2Go. Apologies, it seems that, unfortunately, the original communication of 11 February was not received. Notifications were therefore sent out again on 19 February. Most parents have now responded – thank you. Can all parents who have not yet responded, please do so before the end of February. Thank you. Class lists of responses will be kept by teachers for whenever parent/family members come in to assist in the classrooms. A response for each child you have in the ELC will be necessary. If you have more than one child in the ELC, it will be necessary for you to access each child’s information via Consent2Go to check if the response is still outstanding for one of them.
REPEATED FROM PREVIOUS WEEK
KINDY SCREENING
- KINDY Speech & Occupational Therapy
Assessments by External Therapists
31 March to 11 April 2025 (form required before 10 March please - follow link provided below)
We are currently planning for all Kindergarten children to participate in our recommended St Mark's Kindergarten Speech and Occupational Therapist Screening Program later in Term 1 (from 31 March). All the Kindergarten children will be individually assessed by two external therapists: Julia Dekenah, a Speech Therapist, and Vanessa Wheeler, an Occupational Therapist. (Detailed information is provided via the link below.) These assessments will take place in the Early Learning Centre during the school day. On completion of the screening program, reports will be provided to parents by the external therapists.
To allow your child to participate in this screening process, please follow the link provided below and complete the short permission form on Page 2. Remember to include your child’s first name and second name on the form. In order to maintain confidentiality, therapists’ email addresses have been provided in the information sheet so that completed forms can be scanned and emailed directly to them by parents. It would be appreciated if this could be done as soon as possible (by 10 March at the latest). Thank you.
In order to maintain confidentiality, the therapists would like to be able to communicate with parents directly via email. Parents/carers have therefore been asked to provide one preferred email address on the form. However, if there is a necessity for communications from the external therapists to be shared separately with a second parent / carer, a second email address may also be provided.
LINK to information sheet and permission form from external therapists (permission form is on Page 2): Information Sheet and Permission Form
- KINDY Health Assessments by Government Community Health Nurse
An enveloped Government form, including an information sheet, was sent home with your child for parents to complete and return to teachers before 10 March
In addition to the speech and occupational therapy screening mentioned above which is a St Mark’s initiative, a Government-appointed Community Health Nurse will visit St Mark’s to carry out general health checks covering vision, hearing, growth, teeth and mouth and general health and development on all the Kindergarten children. Community Health Nurses deliver school health services in primary schools across Western Australia. They are employed by WA Country Health Services or Child and Adolescent Health Service (in metropolitan Perth). The nurses work with children, families and teachers within each school throughout the year. Most families will have had contact with these health services from birth (through neonatology and child health services).
These health checks will take place in our Early Learning Centre during the school day and are likely to commence early in Term 2. Parent permission is required for these health checks to occur, and parents are therefore asked to complete and return the form provided as soon as possible (before 10 March please) if they would like the health checks to be done. A return envelope has been included for parents to use in order to maintain confidentiality. All returned envelopes will be passed on to the Community Health Nurse. Remember to include your child’s first name and surname on the envelope. Thank you.
TERM 1 EVENTS
- ELC CHAPEL – Wednesdays 1.15pm to 1.45pm in the Chapel
K-Y1 students will attend Chapel Services in the Chapel on most Wednesdays
- PP & Y1 HOUSE ACTIVITY DAY – Friday 28 March
This usually takes place on the last Friday of Terms 1, 2 and 3 but will need to be a few weeks early this term due to swimming lessons. The Pre-Primary and Year 1 students will need to wear their House shirts on this day. They will participate in various fun activities in their House groups.
- PP-Y4 IN TERM SWIMMING LESSONS – 31 March to 11 April
More information will go out via Consent2Go (C2G) closer to the event date.
Parents will need to respond to the C2G invite – please do so as soon as it is received.
Paper copies of Government consent forms will go home for parents to complete and return closer to the event date.
- KINDY OT AND SPEECH ASSESSMENTS – 31 March to 11 April
Detailed information has been provided including links to forms which will need to be completed and returned directly to the OT and Speech Therapists. - KINDY HEALTH CHECKS WITH COMMUNITY HEALTH NURSE – early Term 2
Paper copies of Government forms have been sent home for parents to complete and return as soon as possible.