27 February 2020

Newsletter Articles

A Note from the Principal

In today’s world, the stressors of daily life can cause children and adults alike to feel frustrated, overwhelmed and anxious. To build calm classrooms staff are utilising practical mindfulness-based tools to help our students manage stress and achieve emotional well-being throughout the day by activating the body’s relaxation response. When we’re feeling focused, relaxed and energised, we are empowered.

Our approach to building and embedding calm classrooms provides our students with a positive proactive approach to addressing both the energy and stressful anxiety that they may encounter.

During times when emotions are heightened by students, breathing techniques can be effective in calming down situations and, as a result, the learning environment has a higher level of student engagement.

Mindful awareness practices improve executive functioning, which includes working memory, emotion regulation, and self-monitoring. Research shows that participation in a program that utilises some mindfulness techniques leads to improvements in behavioural regulation and overall executive functioning in students.

Daily practice of relaxation response techniques and self-care strategies like the our 5 3 1 (5 minutes of mindfulness, 3 acknowledgements of gratitude and 1 act of kindness) can lead to improved positive academic and behavioural outcomes. One study found that middle primary school students who were exposed to two or more semesters of classes that included these practices demonstrated better work habits and higher cooperation amongst students than those who had less exposure. Similar studies have shown significant increases in self-esteem, greater improvements in levels of perceived stress and anxiety, as well as an increase in health-promoting behaviours.

As we go about our everyday life, germs accumulate on our hands. When children come into contact with germs, they can become infected just by touching their eyes, nose, or mouth. And once they're infected, it's usually just a matter of time before the whole family comes down with the same illness.

We recognise the importance of children washing their hands whilst they are at school and in-order to promote good hygiene Butler Primary School continually reviews our approach. To minimise the misuse of soap in the toilets and to address the numerous allergies that can affect children, the use of waterless hand rub has been the accepted practice at our school. All children have access to an alcohol-based hand rub (hand sanitiser) throughout the day and this is considered a good way to clean your hands if you don't have access to soap and water.

Feedback from our school community has highlighted a couple of gaps in our practice and to address these gaps we are going to trial a ‘hygiene bag’ initiative. Each child will bring their own personal hygiene bag which gives parents the opportunity to address allergies and select the most appropriate soap for their child. Hygiene bags will be kept in the child’s school bag so that they have access to it at all times throughout the day. It will be up to each parent to determine what specific items are placed in the child’s hygiene bag and throughout the term parents will need to monitor if items require replacement. Hygiene bags usually include soap which may be in a liquid form or a bar, sunscreen and hand sanitiser.

We look forward to your support in this matter and will monitor the initiative for the remainder of term 1 and term 2.

Mrs Julie Woodhouse
Principal

School Calendar

Term 1

PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT DAYS 2020 (PUPIL FREE):

Term 2 – Friday, 29 May
Term 3 – Friday, 14 August
Term 4 – Monday, 12 October
Term 4 – Friday, 18 December

Notices for all Families

School Parking Information

To help ease congestion around the school during peak times we encourage families to walk their children to and from school wherever possible, especially in fine weather or park at the Community Centre car park and walk your children across the oval.

All Staff park at the front of the school which frees up all the bays in the public car park off Camborne Way.

Families are reminded that parking is not permitted on grassed kerbside areas around the Pre-primary car park and along Tollesbury Avenue, as well as the bricked median strip in Camborne Parkway or across any footpaths. Parking is also not permitted in bus bays. Please consider the safety of all other road users and pedestrians when parking and leaving schools grounds.

Please also give consideration and respect to owners of properties surrounding the school and do not park on their properties or verges without the permission of the homeowner.

All usual road and parking rules apply around the school and parking fines are issued by rangers (who visit the school frequently) to those not adhering to the road rules. We encourage you to obey all parking and road rules for the safety of all families.

Please refer to the City of Wanneroo for Parking Information:

Please also refer to the City of Wanneroo’s ‘School Parking, School Road and Safety Awareness’ Brochure. This brochure details parking do’s and don’ts around schools and also details what parking situations are fineable offenses.

Personal Items on School Roof

Please be advised that if personal belongings of students end up on any of the school roofs that staff of the school are legally not allowed to retrieve items from the roof. Personal items will stay on the roof until a tradesperson who is qualified to work on a roof, and has a job on that particular roof, plus gives consent to get the item down. Please make sure students are aware of this and look after their personal belongings.

Student Achievements

Week 3, Term 1 Merit Certificate Recipients:

Class Assemblies in Review

On Thursday, 20th February Room 2 hosted the assembly. The theme was based on the “5-3-1” concept that we have been applying at Butler Primary School. This means that we try to practise 5 minutes of mindfulness, 3 thoughts of gratitude and at least 1 act of kindness each day. We are participating in “Smiling Mind” every day to help us be calm, focussed and ready to learn. Some of the students shared some of the things which they were thankful for, and everyone’s thankfulness paintings were displayed. We sang the “Kindness” song to show different ways that we can be kind and threw “kindness” cards into the audience at the end. We have found that practising the 5-3-1 makes us feel happier. I am very proud how all of the students learnt their lines and the song in less than two weeks. Well done Room 2!

Miss Sukiennik
Classroom Teacher

P&C News

P&C AGM: Wednesday, 4 March at 6.00pm. All welcome.

School Banking

School Banking is on Wednesdays. If you wish to find out more about school banking and join the program, please click on the link below:

P&C Facebook Group

Click on the link to join our Facebook page BPS P&C Association

Canteen Information

Online ordering will close at 9.00am.

Any orders placed after this time will not be processed for that day. The order will go through the following day. Please ensure orders are placed on time. Late orders can be placed by calling QuickCliq direct on 1300 11 66 37.

All Snack items on the menu will only be available at the canteen window at recess. The canteen will be closed at lunch time for the supply of pre-ordered lunches only.

Please do not hesitate to contact me on 9561 4255 (Butler College Canteen) if you have any queries.

Thank you
Carla Andretta

The online ordering system is available via the link below. Please refer to the above menu link.

Butler Out of Hours School Care

Please feel free to drop into the centre or contact us on 0403 347 952 or butler.oshc@ymcawaa.org.au for any queries. Information is also available at the school office.

Kind regards
YCMA

Information for Families

School Payment Options Available

Payment methods for charges and contributions can now be made via:

• Eftpos in person at the office.
• Cash or Cheque (please use the school money envelopes and place the sealed envelope in the black letter boxes. The boxes are located in the wet areas of each of the blocks and the office)
• Direct Deposit (reference student name and payment description.)
  BSB: 066040
  Acc: 19904285

Absentee Messaging Service

Please send absentee messages through to 0419 091 075 by 10.00am with all of the following details so we can correctly update student records:

• Full name of your child/children
• Explanation for absence
• Date of absence

Absences can also be phoned through to the office on 9562 1804, emailed via the website or a message sent via the Absentee tile in the School App.

As per Department of Education policy, it is the parent’s responsibility to notify the school of the reason for your child’s absence/s within three days of the absence. Failure to do this will mean that the absence will be marked as “unacceptable reason” affecting your child’s education and attendance record.

Update Student Contact Information

If you have recently changed mobile numbers or moved address, it is important you update your contact information with the office. Please also advise if there is a change to any of your emergency

contact information.

Siren Times

2019 Siren Times

School Security

Please call School Watch Security on 1800 177 777, or the Police on 131 444, if you see any suspicious behaviour around the school.

Donating Uniforms

Butler Primary School is seeking donations of uniforms, including polo shirts, dresses and suitable navy bottoms. If you are able to assist please drop the clean clothing at the front office.

We are currently have very low stock suitable for upper primary students and are seeking donations of size 12-14 especially.

Community Information

Free Trial Group Tennis Lesson at Quinns Rocks Junior Tennis Club

Host Families Needed for Japanese Students

Open Day - Marine Rescue, Two Rocks

Football West MiniRoos Kick-Off Program

Triple P – Positive Parenting Program Information

Visit the link below for more information.

Irene McCormack Catholic College presents ‘Hairspray – The Broadway Musical’

Joseph Banks Secondary College – Open Day for 2021 Year 7 Prospective Students and Parents

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