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Yakam
Newsletter
Principal: Julie Blythe
Deputy Principals: Yvonne Height, Helen Walmsley and Tristan Mackenzie
Ph: 9841 7533 Fax: 9842 1350
Email: Yakamia.PS@education.wa.edu.au

Volume 1
6 February 2015

From the Principals Desk

Welcome
Welcome back to all those students and families who were already part of the Yakamia PS
community and a special warm welcome to all the new families joining us in 2015.
We have started 2015 with 464 students in K 6 this year! We have had a wonderful start to the
year and I would like to congratulate and thank parents for the manner in which the students have
presented at school during the first week.
I would also like to recognise all the staff for their many hours of organisation and planning in
facilitating such a smooth start, thank you!

A big thanks to CBH for the school stationery packs that they provided
for our Year 1 students! Also a special thanks to Miss Scott for
organising the order and collection.

Important Notice to Parents

Assemblies will now be conducted at 9.00am every
second Friday. First assembly will be 13 February.

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Yakamia Primary School

From the Principals Desk continued

Staff

NO Hat NO Play

Following is the current teaching staff list for

2015:

A reminder that Term 1 is a No Hat, No Play

term. Students will need a school broad-brimmed
or bucket hat for all outdoor activities.

Principal

Julie Blythe

Deputy Principals

Helen Walmsley
Tristan Mackenzie (3-6)

Newsletter

Yvonne Height (K-2)

The School Newsletter will be available on

Fridays, every fortnight, either via email or our
Facebook page. A copy will also be placed on
Block Watch this Space areas.

Kindy: Lidia James, AinsleySimojoki

K/PP: Trish Francis
PP: Raelene Scott, Jenny Carter,
Yr 1:

Cathy Kohlen, Renee Wood,

Wendy Spurgeon, Libby Sippe,
Lynda Watson

If you would like the newsletter emailed to you

and you are not on our list or have changed your
email address, please send an email to:
Yakamia.PS@education.wa.edu.au

or drop into the office and we will add you to the

Sue Donaldson, Kerry Goetze, Renee Wood email list.
Yr 2/3: Nicole Link
Yr 2:
Yr 3:

Carol Walsh, Sonia Emery

Yr 3/4: Brian Parry

Yr 4: Fran Stamp, Gemma Sandy
Yr 4/5: , Denise Beard, Steve Freeman
Yr 5:

Student Arrival Time

A reminder that students should not be
arriving at school before 8.30am, when
supervision can be provided by staff. We
appreciate your support with this matter.

Kate Bunney

Yr 6:

Brian Stamp, Mark Pooley, Sarah Johnson Administration Structure

You are asked to use the following procedure to
Science:
Bill Beard
clarify or resolve matters relating to your childs
Library:
Max Kosovich
schooling:
In the first instance contact the respective
Phys Ed:
Ross McFarlane
teacher about any situations or matters
Italian :
Lidia James
regarding your child's schooling that arise
ICT:
Anne McIntosh
(early contact can often avoid situations
escalating, clarify incorrect perceptions and
solve problems more quickly).
School Uniform
Contact the Deputy Principal responsible for
your child's team if you need further
It has been fantastic to see so many students in
assistance.
their school uniform. It is great to have the

Arrange an appointment with the Principal

students showing pride in their school by wearing
should you require additional help.
their uniform proudly.
If you need further uniform items the Uniform
Shop is located next to the Canteen and is open
daily from 8.15 to 11am.

We thank you for your support with this and look

forward to a successful year in 2015.

Julie Blythe

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Yakamia Primary School

Before School Reading

The Before School Reading Program will start
Monday 16 February running Monday to
Thursday mornings. Children attending the
program will be able to read to an adult and will
be provided with a healthy breakfast with a
choice of cereal, baked beans, spaghetti, toast,
fruit juice and hot Milo.
The program will be in Room 36 in Block 3 and
will operate between 8am 8.50am. All children
must read before eating breakfast and then may
remain enjoying the warm environment that has
been created. Each year visitors would often
comment on the positive atmosphere of the room.

Happily, we were able to measure literacy

improvement for the children attending last year
and the program is commented on most
favourably by staff. For some children this is the
only opportunity that they have to read to
another adult other than the classroom teacher.
Teachers have provided feedback that indicates
children who regularly attend the program
concentrate better in class due to eating a healthy
breakfast.
If you would like to volunteer to help out with
this program please contact Mrs Lidia James
through the school office.

Term Dates
This year the only School Development Days
(Student free days) set in concrete by the
Education Department are the first two and the
last one. The others are flexible. Schools in the
Albany area have got together and made a joint
decision in order to have consistency across the
town. Therefore the dates for 2015 are as follows:

Students

Tue 21 Apr

End

Fri 3 July

All

Term 3
Students

Tue 21 July

End

Fri 25 Sept

All

Term 4

Term 1
Students

Mon 2 Feb

End

Thur 2 Apr

All

Term 2

Student Councillors
Congratulations to our Year 6 Student
Councillors for 2015. We look forward to this
group providing strong leadership and becoming
positive role models and ambassadors for our
school. The Councillors are:
Ebony Belfield, Tillie Bartley, Olivia Steel,
Jasmine Haydock, Cameron Pettley-Gray,
Riley Wells, Jack Ditchburn and Cooper
Childs.

Students

Mon 12 Oct

Student Free Day

Fri 13 Nov (Show Day)

End

Thur 17 Dec

Students

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Yakamia Primary School

School News
Class Times

Headlice

Classes start at 8.50am

School is not the only thing that is back! Please

check your child/children for head lice. Several
cases have already been detected, and with
students starting school as rotating groups all
year levels have mixed together. If in doubt
please ask one of the office ladies to check for you.
The P&C still have treatment and preventative
for sale, available from the office.

Recess is from 10.30 to 10.50am

Lunch is from 12.30 to 1.20pm
Dismissal is 3.10pm
Be on time, be at school, thats the rule!
P&C Meeting
The first P&C Meeting for 2015 will be held on
Wednesday 25 February at 3.30pm in the Early
Childhood Centre area. P&C Membership is only
$1 and you can join on the day or pay in the
school office. Please try to attend, children can
play in the pre-primary yard.

WANTED!
Relief Gardener for Term 1
8 hours per week
Please enquire with

Yakamia Dental Therapy

The Yakamia Dental Therapy Centre would like
to advise parents/guardians of our new clinic
hours. The clinic will be open MONDAY to
THURSDAY between 8.30am-12noon and
12.45pm-4.30pm.
Please be aware that the school dental service is
running behind on its waitlist. If you think your
child has not been seen in over 12 months, please
contact the clinic on 9841 3498 and we will
endeavour to get your child(ren) in for a check-up
as soon as possible. Due to changes within the
Department of Health, we require parents/
guardians to attend all appointments with their
children. Enrolment forms will be issued via the
school in the coming weeks.
Thank you

Jill Compton at the office.

SCHOOL BANKING WILL BE ON AGAIN

THIS YEAR.
DATE, TIMES TO BE CONFIRMED

Catherine, Margaret, Bev, Tracey and Maureen

The 2015 Voluntary Contributions are:

$$$$$$

Money payable to office or by Direct Debit

Kindergarten

$50 per child

Direct Debit Details:

Pre-Primary to Yr 6

$60 per child

BSB 016-510
Account no: 3408 23089
Please note childs name in full if different from parent

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Yakamia Primary School

Community News

Please note notices appearing below are not necessarily endorsed by the
school. We provide this space for community groups to advertise to the
school community. It is up to parents to scrutinise the activity and
organisers for their child.

Kangas Netball Club Trials Sunday 8th February

at ASHS
Primary School aged players - 10am to 12noon
Please contact Kathryn Williamson (President) for more
details if required 0400 532 094

Speedway Incursion
Many thanks to the local
Speedway Club for their car and
driver incursion. The students
from Block 2 were lucky enough to
enjoy their visit on the oval.