Newsletter

A reminder to all families to continue to check the school calendar on our website for dates and events that are coming along during the term.

Welcome to the new school year! One of the many things I love about working in education is that we have the unique opportunity for a fresh start at the beginning of each school year. It has been wonderful seeing our students settled and ready for learning during the first two weeks of school. Establishing routines and relationships early in the school year is imperative for meaningful learning to take place. I thank our staff for their collective effort in preparing for the new school year.

I have thoroughly enjoyed my first two weeks at St Brigid’s Primary School. You may be aware that I have previously been part of the school community, in 2019 and 2020. I originally joined our school as Assistant Principal in 2019, before taking on the Short-Term Principal role for the 2020 school year. From 2021 until 2025 I served as Principal at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School in Esperance. I have enjoyed seeing familiar faces and meeting new people over the last two weeks. If I haven’t had the chance to chat with you over the first two weeks, I look forward to doing so soon. It is wonderful to be part of our school community again!

We welcome new students and families to our school community this year. We also welcome our new staff members, Liana Del Roio (2W Teacher), Anna Tran (3B Teacher – Semester One), Guenevere Measham (Music Teacher), and Selenee Van der Steen (Auslan Teacher). It is always exciting to have new staff who bring their experiences, skills and strengths to our community.

Our Term Dates for 2026 are listed below. Please be aware that our Pupil Free Days linked to staff Professional Development are subject to change. Parents will be notified with as much notice as possible, should changes need to be made.

TERM 1: Monday 2 February - Thursday 2 April

TERM 2: Monday 20 April - Friday 3 July

TERM 3: Monday 20 July - Friday 25 September

TERM 4: Monday 12 October - Friday 11 December

I look forward to seeing our St Brigid’s families at our Dance on the Green on Saturday 21 February, beginning at 4:30pm. I thank our P&F Committee for their organisation of this event.

As we begin the school year together, we have two positions remaining on both our Catholic School Advisory Council and Parents & Friends Committee. If you are interested in joining one of these two key parent groups for 2026, or would like more information, please contact me directly. Being involved in either of these groups presents a wonderful opportunity to work in partnership with the school leadership team in the best interest of our students.

Together with staff, we have revised our Interim Report templates to focus primarily on how students have commenced the school year, through a social-emotional and wellbeing perspective. Teachers will, of course, have professional conversations with parents as required regarding academic progress and Semester Reports will be released at the end of each semester, focusing on academic progress. Interim Reports will be available to parents via SEQTA Engage at the conclusion of Term One and meetings will take place with parents when Term Two commences, at point of need. This may be by request of the teacher/s or parents.

Please note the following school events will take place at earlier times than they have in previous years, recognising such factors as teacher workloads, co-curricular requirements, and minimising evening events for our students, particularly those in our early years.

• Learning Journey – This will take begin during the school day commencing at 2:00pm and concluding at 4:00pm.
• Christmas Concert – This will commence an hour earlier than in previous years, commencing at 5:00pm.

Our dedicated teachers do not attend to their emails during instruction time as they are focused on the needs of their students. Teachers are also not expected to respond to emails after hours. We believe it is fair and reasonable for teachers to have two business days to reply to emails. This will be the shared understanding moving forward. If your matter is urgent, please contact the school office, knowing that your message will reach your child or their teacher.

I believe in open communication and positive partnerships between school and home. If you have an issue or concern relating to your child, please do not hesitate to make an appointment to see a member of staff. Your child’s teacher should always be the first port of call. Our Assistant Principals, Nat Pin and Dee Campbell, have different areas of responsibility within the school. Nat oversees Pre-Kindy-Year Two, while Dee oversees Years 3-6. Should your matter not be resolved after a discussion with your child’s teacher, you are welcome to make an appointment with the Assistant Principal assigned to your child’s year group. If your matter requires further discussion, please make an appointment to see me through the school office.

I remind our families that we have an extra-long weekend coming up, with the WA Day Public Holiday on Monday 2 March and a Pupil Free Day on Tuesday 3 March. Our staff will be engaged in professional development during this Pupil Free Day.

Parent information presentations will be shared with parents on Monday 16 February. Please read through this important information regarding school and classroom procedures.

Thank you to our parents who have supported our students in striving for excellence by sending them to school in the correct uniform. As we are now two weeks into the school year, please ensure you have purchased the required items from the uniform shop.

As we begin the new school year, I remind our parents and caregivers of the following school procedures:

School Hours: Our school gates and classroom doors open at 8:25am, with formal instruction beginning at 8:40am. It is important that students arrive to begin their day at 8:30am as this allows students to settle in, engage in morning activities and be ready for the day. Students are to be on school grounds no earlier than 8:25am and no later than 3:15pm. Students arriving late, after 8:40am, they are required to sign in through the school office. Students leaving early, prior to 3:00pm, are required to sign out through the school office.

Communication: Direct communication with teachers is to be via email, rather than Seesaw. Your child’s teacher’s email address is firstname.surname@cewa.edu.au (e.g. john.smith@cewa.edu.au) .

Absences: Explanations regarding absenteeism are to be submitted via our online Absentee Form.

Medical: If your child requires prescription medication during school hours, parents and caregivers are to ensure that the school is provided with written documentation from the doctor, outlining dosage and administration requirements. As the school is responsible for students during the school day a written note from parents does not suffice. If circumstances change, the medical advice from the doctor must be updated. Please ensure that medication is provided in the original packaging.

Newsletter: Our school newsletter is published fortnightly (Weeks 2, 4 and 6, 8 and 10) and remains our primary source of communication. It is the responsibility of each parent to read the newsletter, ensuring they are kept abreast of school matters.

The Health Care Card Discount Scheme provides an automatic fee concession for the holders of eligible means tested family concession cards. This discount applies from Kindergarten to Year Six. Please ensure the school is provided with a copy of your current Health Care Card.

Welcome back to all families and welcome to the newest members of our community. SBPS support the parish in running the Sacramental Program. If you have any questions about the Sacramental Program, please contact me on the email below.

Last Friday, an Expression of Interest form came home to all baptised Catholic students in Years 3, 4 and 6. If you are wanting your child to receive the sacrament aligned with their year group, please complete the form and return the bottom portion to the class teacher.

• Year 3 – Reconciliation
• Year 4 – Eucharist (First Holy Communion)
• Year 6 – Confirmation.

YEAR 4

If there are any Catholic students in YEAR 4 who have NOT yet received the Sacrament of Reconciliation, please contact me directly on the email below.

YEAR 5

If there are any Catholic students in YEAR 5 who have NOT yet received the Sacrament of Reconciliation and First Holy Communion, please contact me directly on the email below.

Dee.campbell@cewa.edu.au

SACRAMENTAL COMMITMENTS TERM 1

Tuesday 24th February 6pm – All Sacraments PARENT Information Evening (St Brigid’s Church)

Sat 7th OR Sun 8th March - All Sacraments Commitment Masses (St Brigid’s Church)

*** Please note: If you are unable to attend a Commitment Mass on that weekend, you will need to make alternative arrangements with Father to attend another weekend.

On Wednesday we will acknowledge Ash Wednesday – the beginning of Lent, with a whole school mass (Yrs 1-6) in the Hall at 9am. All parents and family members are welcome to join us. Ashes will be distributed during the Mass, and to students and staff in Kindy & PP after the mass has ended. While students are taught about the ashes and their significance to our faith in class, it would be appreciated if parents could also talk to their children about Ash Wednesday and the ashes.

Usually we celebrate the feast of St Brigid in Term 3. This year we have decided to celebrate St Brigid in Week 5 of Term 1 (Friday 6th March), as this is much closer to her actual feast day (1st February). Our annual Fete will also take place on this day. You may already have received a note from your child’s class teacher with information about this day and the fete.

ALL children are welcome to wear FREE DRESS, free of charge!

There will be more information in the next newsletter.

Trying to decide whether on-site therapy sessions is right for your child?

Under the School Education Act 1999 (WA), the principal has ultimate responsibility for the education programs provided by the school. Parents may seek to engage with external service providers when their child requires additional health, therapy, or wellbeing support. The services offered by the provider must align with or complement the reasonable adjustments the school provides to facilitate the student’s access to education. If the service does not align with the student’s learning needs, consider it being delivered outside of school hours. Acceptance of therapy services and incorporation of service provider’s recommendations in a student’s Individualised Plan is at the principal’s discretion.

If your child requires therapy during school hours, we ask that you please complete the ‘Request to School for Third Party Clinical Access’ Form, found at the administration office, and submit this to Miss Natalie Pin (Assistant Principal - Learner Diversity Coordinator) for approval.

The school values parents as the first educators of their children and believes in working in partnership to improve student outcomes. The delegate will contact you to discuss the request to determine if the service is best delivered in the school. The school will consider the following when approving therapists working on school site.

• your child’s educational and wellbeing needs.
• educational goals in your child’s individualised plan.
• the school’s capacity to provide available space or school resources.
• the timing and duration of the access requested.
• the impact on other students and staff.
• the ability of your child to access the service outside of school hours; and
• it’s duty of care to all students and staff.

The school may request additional information from the external service provider before making a final decision. If approved, the delegate will liaise with your child’s therapist and teachers to arrange a suitable time for their sessions to take place, which aligns with the classroom schedule. It is the parents/carers responsibility to notify therapists if your child is absent from school, not the teachers.

Before being granted access to work with your child, the service provider will be required to comply with certain legal requirements. Completing the CEWA Child Protection Procedures and Mandatory Reporting Online Training and CEWA Working with Children Check Volunteer Declaration, St Brigid’s Code of Conduct, Terms and Conditions.

All therapy sessions will commence in Week 5 of Term 1, allowing children to settle into their classes for the year.

Please see the listed expectations for Parents & Therapists below:

Parents:

• To ask permission through the school to arrange on school-site therapy sessions for their child
• Putting therapists in touch with Miss Natalie Pin
• To inform therapists if their child is absent from school
• 
  

Therapists:

• To liaise with Miss Natalie Pin (Assistant Principal - Learner Diversity Coordinator) regarding required paperwork to work on school-site
• To liaise with Miss Natalie Pin (Assistant Principal - Learner Diversity Coordinator) regarding suitable dates and times for therapy sessions
• To communicate with Miss Natalie Pin (Assistant Principal - Learner Diversity Coordinator) of any rescheduled or cancelled therapy sessions

Parent Information Sessions will be made available to families on Monday 16th February from 3:30pm.

Learn everything you need to know about what is happening in your child/ren's classroom for 2026!

Newsletter

The School Newsletter is created on a fortnightly biases and a text message is sent out with the link to it. You can also access them on our school website at

www.stbrigidsms.wa.edu.au/our-community/newsletters

Seesaw

Seesaw allows families to view students work, receive class announcements and exchange private messages with your child’s classroom teachers. You can also receive alerts when your child’s teacher posts new content and save this to your personal device.

Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/stbrigidsms

Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/stbrigidsms/

God bless,

Miss Natalie Pin

Assistant Principal

Hello my name is Kylie and I have been the Canteen Manager at St Brigid's Primary School for over 12 years.

I am looking for any mums, dad, grandparents or careers who can spare some time to help out in the canteen. If you can't help for the entire day, that's not a problem, we would be grateful for anytime you can offer. The busiest time in the canteen is between 11.15am to 12.30pm. I find that the children love seeing there loved ones in the canteen it always bring a bit of fun into there day.

As a little "thank you" for your help, the canteen will provide you with lunch, a cold drink and bottomless cups of tea/coffee. Any additional information please feel free to come and see me in the canteen, I am happy to have a chat with you.

Kind Regards, Mrs Kylie Dickenson

https://www.quickcliq.com.au/

GREAT NEWS! You can now order multiple lunches for your children through the QuickCliq account.

All lunch orders MUST now be done online, we do not accept cash orders over the counter. You are also able cancel your order before the cut off time of 9.00am by going online and following these instructions:

Log into your QuickCliq account -> click Active/Cancel order -> Scroll to the right -> click Cancel against the order.

RECESS AND ICE-CREAMS ARE STILL AVAILABLE OVER THE COUNTER!

Uniform Shop Opening Hours

Please Note: Term 1 is summer uniform. Could you please ensure that all uniforms are named as we are unable to return uniform to your child without names.

• Monday's - 8.00am - 10.00am
• Wednesday's - 1.30pm - 3.30pm
• To access the Online Order Form
• Please email completed form to uniform@stbrigidsms.wa.edu.au or form can be handed in at the School Office.

BUSINESS IN OUR SCHOOL COMMUNITY

Did you know that within the St Brigid’s Primary School community there are many family-owned business’s?

Here are a few of them.

If you would like to add your business to this forum, drop your business card into the Administration office and it will be included in the next newsletter.