Junior School Bulletin - Term 1, Week 5

Please ensure all students have their swimming gear ready for school next Tuesday 11 March.

The Carnival will take place at Claremont Aquatic Centre. Consent2Go invites for this event will shortly be sent to all Y2-5 families.

All students who have already registered for Try-outs for the Interschool team are reminded they will need to be at school by 7.45am that day, meeting in the Year 4/5 area as the bus departs at 8am.

All other Y2-5 students should come to school at the normal time as their buses will depart at 10am for the Claremont Aquatic Centre, in readiness for a Carnival start time of 11am. It is estimated students will leave Claremont Aquatic Centre at 2pm, and be back at school by approximately 2.30pm.

If you have any queries, please email Michael Barton at mbarton@stmarks.wa.edu.au

Years 3 and 5 students in the Primary School will be required to complete NAPLAN tests between 12 March and 17 March 2025. The NAPLAN tests include:

• Writing
• Reading
• Conventions of Language
• Numeracy.

NAPLAN DEMONSTRATION SITE

To access the NAPLAN Public Demonstration site which has Demonstration Tests please go to https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site

This will enable your child to become familiar with the types of questions that will be included in the NAPLAN tests.

NAPLAN TIMETABLE

The 2025 NAPLAN timetable for Years 3 and 5 students will be as follows:

• Wednesday 12 March – Writing
• Thursday 13 March – Reading
• Friday 14 March – Conventions of Language
• Monday 17 March - Numeracy

If students are away during a session, then catch-up sessions will be available.

Year 2 – 5 class teachers will be conducting parent interviews in Weeks 7 and 8 this term. These interviews present an opportunity for teachers to provide a summary of the past term, outlining the strengths, challenges and goals for your child.

The 'Booked' booking system (previously known as PTO) will be open from 10am Tuesday 11 March to enable parents to book a time for these interviews. The booking system will be closed three days prior to the interviews. Please follow the steps below to select an interview time with your child’s class teacher.

1. Log into SEQTA Engage after 10am on Tuesday 11 March.
2. Click on the ‘Parent Interview’ tab (this can be found on the Welcome Page of SEQTA Engage under Online Services):
   
3. Obtain PIN: Click on ‘Obtain PIN’.
4. Go to your email to obtain the details you need to log into Booked.
5. Log into the 'Booked' system.
6. Select interview time.

There will be two afternoons during Weeks 7 and 8 where students will be involved in House music and sport activities while class teachers meet to conduct interviews in the classrooms. These afternoons are Thursday 20 March and Wednesday 26 March. All Year 2-5 students are to wear their House uniform to school on these dates.

The Primary Interhouse Cross Country will take place at Friday 2 May at Mawson Park for our Year 2 to 5 students. Further details will be sent to parents from Consent2Go in due course. Included below are links to maps of the running courses at Mawson Park for each year level, should parents wish to take their children to the venue for practice runs in the weeks leading up to this event: Maps - 2025 Cross Country Courses - Years 2 to 5

If you have any queries, please email Michael Barton at mbarton@stmarks.wa.edu.au

The Salvation Army Great Cook Up initiative is back on track again in 2025! This is a fantastic initiative for a very worthy cause, run by the St Mark's Old Scholars Association once a term and gives students from Years 2 to 5 the opportunity to come together with their parents, work alongside each other and cook meals for the Salvation Army at the Alan Cadby Senior Academic Centre (Home Economics rooms in the Secondary School). It is always a great afternoon and the kitchen is continually a buzz with St Mark's community spirit. The St Mark’s Old Scholars Association will be providing all the food and ingredients, all you need to do is simply turn up and help prepare and cook the meals. Further details are as follows:

Date: Thursday 13 March 2025
Time: 3.40pm (after school) until approximately 5/5.30pm
Where: St Mark's Home Economics rooms
Who: Only 12 x family places are available (two groups per meal batch) - parents will be notified via email
Sign-up link: Salvation Army Cooking - 2025 Term 1

This initiative is being organised by The St Mark's Old Scholars Association and should you require any further information regarding this activity then please email Andrew Coffin at andrewcoffin@bigpond.com or phone 0415 862 907.

Primary Visual Art is collecting small to medium size tubs and containers and/or bottles for sculpture projects. Interesting shapes and thick cardboard or plastic, please. NO egg cartons or toilet rolls. We are also after champagne corks and the surrounding wire. And any other interesting materials you may have at home. If you are able to donate any of these items, please bring them to Junior Reception, thank you.

SMNC are currently looking for years 2-7 to register for this winter season of netball. Offering Net Set Go program to introduce those enthusiastic beginners to the game and rules of netball. Netball not only helps children stay active and healthy but also fosters teamwork, discipline, and communication skills - essential attributes that will benefit them throughout their lives. SMNC offers a great way to make new friends, build self-confidence, and develop a lifelong love for the sport. Don't miss out on this chance to play the number one sport in town. To register click on the link attached https://www.playhq.com/netball-australia/register/80c89a

Don’t miss out! Register today ! Your child's future in netball starts now!

Wendy Giles
President of St Marks Netball Club

The St Mark's Parents & Friends' Association cordially invites all members of our School community to join them for the annual Welcome Sundowner on Tuesday 25 March 2025. The P&F's Annual General Meeting will follow the Sundowner.

The Sundowner and AGM will be held in the Barbara Godwin Performing Arts Complex.

• 6.00pm to 7.00pm - Sundowner
• 7.00pm to 9.00pm - Annual General Meeting* in the Barbara Godwin Performing Arts Complex

As per the constitution, all office positions will be made vacant at our AGM. Nominations are open now, and nomination forms are available from the Secretary, secretary.pf@stmarks.wa.edu.au.

Please reach out if you may be interested in any of the positions.

Relevant documents are available on the Parents Portal on SEQTA.

Please send any general business items to the Secretary no later than 7 days before the meeting, secretary.pf@stmarks.wa.edu.au.

*Please note that you can claim two hours of your Parent Commitment for 2025 by attending the Annual General Meeting.

• 2024 AGM Minutes
• 2025 Notice of AGM
• 2024 Financial Statements

Thank you for your patience. The financial statements are attached above and have been uploaded to seqta for your convenience.

Put it in your calendars; the Art Show will return this October!

Opening night is October 10th, with the show running through to the 12th!

This year, we aim to have over 100 local artists showing over 350 pieces, live art demonstrations, musical performances, interactive art classes, a People's Choice Award, raffle prizes, and much more.

More information will be released as details are finalised, but this is going to be a show you won’t want to miss!

To stay up to date, register your interest at the link below. Don't forget to tell your friends!

https://forms.gle/UZx3HKNuSmVRymQi9

The Parents Prayer Group (PPG) meet fortnightly to pray for the students, staff and school community.

We will be meeting every second Friday at 2pm in the School Chapel, starting 6 June 2025. Please note this is a change of time from our previous PPG sessions.

Please sign in at reception and perhaps stop by the coffee van on the way. All are welcome. Please share any prayer requests by emailing parentsunitedforprayer@gmail.com or call Wing Shattock on 0433 002 151.

Did you know that our Old Scholars' Association Little Lions Playgroup is run on-site every Friday during term time? We'd love to see your little cub there this Friday!

Join us from 8.45 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. for lots of fun and games. Little Lions Playgroup is a community-based group run in conjunction with Playgroup WA and caters for children up to school age. Families attending our Kindy and not in session on Fridays are more than welcome to join as well.

For more information and to book your spot, please email us, osa@stmarks.wa.edu.au or join our Facebook group HERE.

Everyone is welcome - you do not need to be an Old Scholar (former student) of St Mark's to attend.