Parent Information Evening 2019

Hello everyone!

Just to let you know: the Rm 22 Parent Information evening will be held next Tuesday the 19th of February, from 7.00 to 7.45pm. Check out the details below!

Rm 22 Parent Info evening!

GATE TESTING 2019

Dear Parents,

Just a reminder to all parents of Year 6 students - applications for Department of Education GATE testing closes this Sunday, February the 10th. 

This testing is designed to identify gifted students who are about to enter secondary school. Successful students may then be offered a placement in one of several specialist programs, such as art, music, dance, drama or academic extension. 

To be considered eligible for a place in these programs, students must sit the GATE test, conducted by the Department of Education.

If you would like your child to sit this test, you must apply online. Follow the link below and it will take you to the relevant website. it will also answer all your questions and provide useful information.

Link GATE testing website

Welcome to 2019!

Hello, everyone!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday. I most certainly did and used the time to read a plethora of books, go on long walks around the Swan River, catch up with old friends and do some woodwork in my 'man cave' out the back of my house.

Although I thoroughly enjoyed my time off, I did miss my students and was quite happy to come back to work and see how much they have grown and how adorable the newest MAC additions are.

We have already gotten off to a 'flyer'. The new students have settled in beautifully already and the older students have quickly gotten back into the MAC groove. I am really looking forward to this year - I have planned lots of interesting learning activities that will hopefully challenge and extend the students.

For all our Year 6 parents, the first group of Student Representatives will be announced this coming Friday (8th Feb) at our first assembly. We would love to see you there...after all, in the blink of an eye, it will be the end of 2019 and we will be saying a tearful goodbye to our 'big kids' of the school!

I look forward to meeting with you all throughout the year.

Carl Sanderson

Goodbye, Year Sixes!

Over the past two weeks, we have been celebrating the last few remaining days of our amazing year six students and have held a range of graduation events.

Last Thursday, we had the official graduation ceremony, which saw 66 fine young people on stage, all ready to move on to the big world of secondary education! It was a wonderful evening. The students all looked a million dollars and they deported themselves with dignified distinction. Ava, Gnanadeep and Shreya all gave lovely speeches about their time at primary school, and Fearne helped to MC the evening.

Once the formalities were over and done with, we had the Year Six dance! I could not believe how many skilled dancers we have in Rm 22. Again, I was very impressed by the way they all participated and had a great time.

The very next day, we all toddled off to Fremantle, where we had the graduation lunch at the Esplanade Hotel. Again, the students were all dolled up and a nice time was had by all. The food was excellent and several members of the public (who were likely initially mortified when 66 children marched in to the restaurant) commented on their good manners and positive behaviour. That's the Wattle Grove Way!

We have only one more event left....the traditional 'Ringing of the Bell' ceremony, which will take place on the last day of school (Thursday 13th Dec). There will be, for the students and parents of the graduating students, a viewing of the Year 6 farewell powerpoint in the BER room opposite the kindy classes, followed by the actual 'Ringing of the Bell', which takes place on the grassed area directly in front of the flag poles. We will let parents know the exact times for this early next week. We encourage all to come and witness this moment - we promise there won't be a dry eye in the house!

Finally...I just want to say that it has been a complete joy to teach these students, and a privilege to have had some small part in their life. They are all an amazing group of young people and I know they are going on to big things. A huge thank you to all the parents, who entrusted your precious children to my care. You have supported me, helped me, and I can't thank you enough.

I have told the Year Sixes that they must comeback and visit us at least twice a year, to keep us apprised of their progress.

To all MAC parents, thanks for a great year. I look forward to an equally amazing 2019.

Have a great break,

Carl 'exhausted' Sanderson

Hooray for History!

Last term, our class took part in the National History Challenge, which set students the task of researching and presenting an information product based on a 'turning point' in Australian history.

This could have been anything, like when women were given the vote, or Australia entered the Great War, or when we became a federation in 1901.

Our students were allowed to choose whether they worked alone or as a team. Some chose to create museum exhibits, while others designed their own web page, and others wrote essays on their chosen topic.

The standard of work was outstanding and we sent off a number of entries for consideration. Here is an example of just one of our outstanding entries submitted - this was by Fearne and Samara, who researched the life of David Unapon, who invented many things, including the electric shearing hand piece.

After several weeks of nervous waiting, the winners of the competition were finally announced. We were very pleased to learn that two of our students - Megha and Sandra were both finalists (out of many hundreds of entries) with their individual websites on the dismissal of Gough Whitlam and women's right to vote. Both girls were invited to Applecross Senior High School recently, to be awarded their finalist certificates and to learn if they had won the 'big' overall prize!

Alas, the girls didn't manage to be an overall winner, but we are still very proud of them for their amazing efforts. Well done, ladies - you might be historians of the future!

Year 6 Camp to Kalgoorlie

We're baaaaaaack!

What a week it was! The Year 6 students spent last week exploring the Goldfields, travelling to Kalgoorlie/Boulder and Coolgardie.

After a brisk seven hour trip on the Prospector, the students (along with a small gang of intrepid adult supervisors) muscled our luggage to the Kalgoorlie Camp School, which would be our base for the next four days.

We all had a wonderful time. The students were kept very busy engaged in a variety of activities, including:

• panning for gold
• exploring the Superpit - an engineering marvel
• visiting the Boulder and Kalgoorlie town hall
• Exploring Coolgardie
• Swimming at the Kalgoorlie town pool
• walking through Warden Finnity's house
• Visiting the Hannan's North mining museum
• Visiting the Royal Flying Doctor's base 

Apart from the educational stuff, we all had fun playing games, taking part in a quiz night, and eating lots of food. 

When we finally arrived back in Perth at 9.45pm on Friday night, we were all exhausted but have memories that will undoubtedly last forever. 

Check out some of the photos below. More will be added as I work out how to download them from my phone! Also, Mr Meachem has taken (literally) thousands of pics, which will be placed on the school blog within the next few days, so check them out!

Dancing Divas!

Well, it is that time of year, again!

Dance fever has swept over Wattle Grove and we are all busily learning some pretty slick moves from the good people at Humphrey's Dance Studio.

Our class is learning a range of dances, including:

• The Slosh
• Salsa
• Hip Hop
• Rock Barn Dance
• The Jive 

Additionally, we are going to be learning some slow partner dances...much to the horror of some students! 

I have been very pleased with the way in which the students have enthusiastically thrown themselves into the lessons, and it is wonderful to see them having so much fun. 

The Yr 6's, of course, are learning all of these moves in preparation for the graduation dance, which will follow their graduation ceremony, on Thursday the 29th of November. 

Speaking of the graduation, can I please remind all parents of Yr 6 students that I require 4 - 6 photographs from when they were wee babes and tantrumming (yes, I know I just made up this word) toddlers! I will put these into their graduation powerpoint, so we can see how much...or how little, they have changed over the years.

Here are some photographs of them dancing!