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Welcome Back
A big welcome back to our families and staff who are returning and, to new families and staff – welcome to WUPS. I hope you all had a wonderful break, even if it looked a bit different than usual. It is great to be writing to you again, at the start of the new year of learning and aspiration! The start of the school year is an opportunity for fresh beginnings, excitement and growth. Thank you for preparing your child/ren to be school ready following the holiday break. This year at WUPS we welcomed a number of new faces to our school. This includes 13 students, 10 of these students are starting school for the very first time in Kinder and 3 students have come to WUPS from other schools. Other new faces include 5 new staff members. All staff at WUPS look forward to working with your family in 2021.
I would like to acknowledge the outstanding work of all staff for their preparation of our learning environments and for enabling a really positive start to 2021!
New Staff
Welcome to Mrs Sarah Crawford (Assistant Principal), Mrs Meagan Smith (Support Teacher & 3/4B Teacher on Friday’s), Mrs Lynda Coates (5/6B Teacher), Mrs Hope Auth (Art Teacher), Miss Kiara Daly (School Business Manager), Mr Jeremiah Soetan (Teacher Assistant-Hands on Learning) and Mrs Ann Maire Uptson 5/6A (UTAS Teacher) who will be with us until March 12.
Police in schools pilot program at WUPS 2021
The Department of Education is pleased to be partnering with Tasmanian Police as they focus their police in schools’ program in primary schools. A Tasmania Police review has decided to transition this program to a Primary School level. This is a trial for the 2021 school year and West Ulverstone Primary School is fortunate to be considered for part of the trail. Leesa is attached to the Youth Intervention Unit and will be seen in our school one day a fortnight, unless on leave. The focus of the program will be on school engagement and supporting successful transition.
Leesa Poulton - Police Officer
What is PAT Early Years?
Progressive Achievement Tests Early Years (PAT EY) are tests about mathematics and reading for students in Prep.
PAT Early Years Maths is an assessment covering the early development of mathematical skills with a strong focus on number.
PAT Early Years Reading is an assessment of pre-literacy and early reading skills, covering print conventions, decoding, listening comprehension and reading comprehension.
The tests are designed to be fun and take less than 30 minutes each to complete.
PAT EY assessments are developed by the Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER).
PAT tests are currently used in many schools, across many year levels.
When will students be assessed?
PAT Early Years tests will be occur twice in the Prep year. Teachers have spent some time in the lead up to the tests doing a practice program with Prep students to familiarise them with how the test works.
Test |
Term |
Test Window |
PAT Early Years Start Foundation |
1 |
22 February – 12 March |
PAT Early Years Mid Foundation |
4 |
18 October – 5 November |
Keeping our kids safe - Love 40
School's back which means it’s time to start driving 40km/h or below through school zones.
‘Love 40’ reinforces that drivers must slow down to 40km/h or lower when travelling in school zones during school hours and around school buses when lights are flashing.
A love heart is featured across the ‘Love 40’ campaign, replacing the red circle around a regulatory speed limit, implying that slowing to 40km/h or less protects the children we all love.
We all love our children to go to great length to keep them safe. Which is why you should “love 40” in school zones.
The 40km/h speed limit for school zones includes stationary school buses with their lights flashing. “Love 40” means driving at or below the school zone limit to keep our children safe.
Meet the Family BBQ
School Association
The first School Association Meeting will be held on Monday 1 March. The meeting is held in the WUPS meeting room from 5:30 - 6:30pm. Members of our community are welcome to attend. The Annual General Meeting will be held in Monday 29 March at 5:30pm. We are always looking for new members.
Home Reading
‘Good Readers Read’ – there are 1600 opportunities to read if your child reads every school night for their primary school years!!!
Swapping books happens each morning between 8:30 - 8:55am in the AV room. Every swap gains an entry into the random draw each Friday. Some classrooms offer swapping too!
Winners so far this year are:
Week 2 Stella T - 1/2A
Week 3 Tyron C - 3/4A
Week 4 Xavien S - 1/2A
Toys and special items
Toys and special items should not be brought to school. Comfort items are to be left in school bags during breaks and not taken into the playground.
Working together for safe schools
You are welcomed as a valued school member and role model for our school. While on school grounds or at a school activity, everyone has the right to be safe and be treated fairly and respectfully. Volunteers and visitors are expected to behave in a way that supports a safe school environment. This means that everyone at our school agrees:
»We behave in a safe and respectful manner
»We use constructive and appropriate language
»We treat school property with respect
»We work together to support learning
»We cooperate with staff instructions and school procedures
»We drive slowly and carefully on school campus
»We behave in line with our school’s behaviour policy.
If unacceptable behaviour is displayed on school grounds or at a school activity the principal (or their delegate) may ask you to leave. Please request a copy of our school policy for volunteers and visitors for further information.
Worries and Concerns
During the year if you have any concerns, classroom teachers are your first port of call. You can book an appointment through our office staff to see classroom teachers after 3:00pm Tuesday and Thursday. All staff take part in Professional Learning on Monday and Wednesday afternoons.
Yours in partnership
Angela McAuliffe
Principal
With the new school year here, it is timely to remind our school community of expectations in our car park. For safety reasons the car park is one way, with the entry point closest to the crossing, and exit point to the East. Please ensure that you enter at the correct point to ensure the safety of everyone using the car park. There is a designated disabled spot directly in front of the school. Please ensure that this spot is kept clear for those who require it. Thank you for your co-operation.
A reminder that hats must be worn in Term 1 through to April when we play and learn outside. It is also important that students are wearing our school hat. These are available for purchase from Maveric Clothing.
West Ulverstone Primary now has its own unique COVID QR Code making it much easier to register yourself. We also ask you to sign into the visitor's book as you usually would in case of an emergency, this now has the capacity to record contact numbers. Once you have downloaded the "Check in TAS App" and registered your details, you simply scan the QR and it automatically sends the data collected to the Tasmanian Department of Health and will only be accessed by authorised Department of Health staff involved in contract tracing, if required.
An easy step by step poster is pictured below.
Kinder/Prep
We have had a wonderful start to the year in Kinder/Prep with lots of fun activities happening.
Prep students have been quick to adapt to having two teachers this year and are doing a great job of caring for our new classroom space. We have also been practising new ways of working both independently and together. They have been excellent role models for our new Kinder students, helping with our expectations and routines.
Kinder students have been learning to explore our classroom and playground environment while being safe and respectful. They are becoming familiar with the routines of mat time, lining up and eating breaks.
Miss Finch and Mrs Robertson
Kinder/Prep Teachers
1/2A
What an exciting start to the school year it has been so far in 1-2A.
We have been spending time getting to know each other and creating a beach scene in our classroom. We used the beach area as a prompt for our five senses writing, using our experience and imagination to write about what we hear, see, feel, taste and smell at the beach.
During our afternoons we like to develop our creative and co-operative skills during a time we call “Brain Play” constructing things, solving puzzles and playing educational games.
I look forward to meeting families over the next couple of weeks.
Miss Cox
1/2A Teacher
1/2B
We have had such an exciting start to 2021 in 1/2 B. Coming in on day one, there was such great excited energy in the room. Now, as we come to the end of week 3 the excitement and eagerness for learning has only grown.
We have been working hard to deepen and extend our knowledge of letters and sounds, beginning to see how we can use words we already know to spell lots of new words. We have made some word noticing posters and our learners become more inquisitive about words every day.
We have also begun working really hard in number to match different collections to a digit, as well as practicing one more, one less with a range of numbers.
1/2B are really excited for what 2021 has to offer. The year ahead is looking really exciting and we look forward to sharing the journey with you.
3/4A and 3/4B
At the start of the year we have been busy and it has been challenging. In 3/4 we have been learning how to start a creative story, introduce characters and use descriptive words. We have also learnt how to use full stops and captial letters, letter blends and looked at place value in Maths. Each Thursday we have an exciting auction that we are able to spend our hard-earned points on. Both of the 3/4 classes are close to earning 500 points combined, when we reach that huge amount we will enjoy a full day of science experiments and coolness.
Reid, Kiarna, Jay Jay and Chace
3/4B students
5/6A
In 5/6A we have had a fantastic start to the year. We have welcomed a new student and shown what kind and welcoming people we can be. We have also welcomed Mrs Upston to our team who is a student teacher from the University of Tasmania.
In maths we have been learning that if we use our growth mindset and give everything a go, we can learn and improve even if we don't get things right the first time. We have done this while learning about place value, where students have been developing a solid understanding of the value of 5 and 6 digit numbers.
One of the things we have enjoyed the most has been getting to know our year 1/2 buddies from Mr French's class. Mr Gee and Mr French have been really impressed by the leadership that we have shown in these sessions.
Mr Gee
5/6B
As part of getting to know each other 5/6B used their initials to make these abstract art pictures.
Mrs Coates
5/6B Teacher
All Launching into Learning programs will start on Monday 22 February 2021.
A reminder that if you or your child are displaying symptoms of illness, please remain at home until they are well again.
Hannah Robertson
LiL Co-ordinator
We are focussing on the value - Respect. These students have shown respect in the playground with fair play, sharing, looking after a friend, making sure no one is left out etc. Well done!
Kinder screening
Every Kindergarten child at West Ulverstone Primary School has the opportunity to have a Primary School Health Assessment with the Primary School Health Nurse.
This term the Primary School Health Assessment form will be sent home with your child for you to complete. If you would like your child to have the assessment please return the completed form to the school office or to your child’s teacher as soon as possible.
If you do not want the assessment please tick the box on the second page and return it to school please.
If you have lost the form, please see the office or your child's teacher.
Kerry Jewell
School Nurse
PRIMARY SCHOOL CRICKET Years 5-6
The Primary School Cricket Roster (for Years 5-6) will not commence in Term 1. It will now commence Friday 15 October (week 1 of Term 4). Schools will send letters home with students towards the end of Term 3 with the details of the shortened roster.
For all junior cricket enquiries, please contact Alex Lomas on 0422 401 784.
Subs For You is a convenient, web based system to provide a healthy and affordable lunch option for your children. Please see below instructions on how to place an order. Orders must be placed by 8.00am on the designated day - Thursdays.
Orders are delivered to the school on Thursdays at the regular scheduled lunch time. If you have any queries about the ordering process please contact the school office.
For urgent order enquiries please call the Subway Business Manager Tiffany on 0477 259 030.
Monday 1 March | 4:30 - 5:30pm Family Welcome BBQ |
Monday 1 March | 5:30 - 6:30pm School Association Meeting |
Tuesday 2 March | 2:00pm Whole School Assembly |
Monday 8 March | Public Holiday |
Wednesday 10 March | NWPSSA Inter Primary Year 3/4 Athletic Carnival including finals |
Thursday 11 March | NWPSSA Inter Primary Year 5/6 Athletic Carnival including finals |
Monday 29 March | 5:30pm Annual General Meeting |
Wednesday 31 March | Term 1 ends |
Thursday 1 April | Moderation Day - student free |
Friday 2 April | Good Friday |
Wednesday 21 April | Term 2 starts |