The West #7 2025
- Principal's Preface
- NECISA Winter Carnival
- Nanna Bingo
- TA6 Assembly
- Aussie of the Month
- NAIDOC Day
- Crazy Hair Day
- Premier’s Reading Challenge Wrap-Up
- Interschool Cross Country
- Exciting News for Our Choir!
- TA19 Assembly
- No Hat, No Play – A Reminder for All Families
- Lunch Clubs at West Balcatta
- Bullying No Way: National Week of Action
- Children's Book Week 2025
Principal's Preface
As you know, we are transitioning to a new system for managing student attendance this term. Starting on Tuesday 26th August, all attendance-related messages will come from a new contact – ‘WBPS’. From this date, the old absentee SMS number will no longer be in use and will not be monitored. Instead, you will receive a secure one-time link that will allow you to provide a reason for your child’s absence. Of course, you can still contact us directly via email or phone to report an absence.
We are excited to introduce this new system. It will streamline the attendance process and provide improved options for communicating with our school community. As the transition date approaches, we will send reminders to help ensure you are ready for the change. If you have questions in the meantime, please talk to our office staff.
Later in the newsletter, you’ll read about the students who represented West Balcatta at the recent Interschool cross country competition. Our team placed third overall, with numerous well-deserved individual successes. As you can imagine, we were extremely proud of our students’ achievements, but even more so of their attitude. As always, our students supported one another, cheering and encouraging their peers throughout the event. What was particularly heartwarming was that this support extended beyond our school. Our students also cheered on participants from other schools, encouraging stragglers and congratulating winners. It’s wonderful to see our students living the values of West Balcatta Primary School. Many VOLTS were awarded last Tuesday by staff who witnessed these sporting and community-minded behaviours, all well deserved.
A huge thank you to Mr Geoff Dwyer, who organised the event this year. His exceptional planning and dedication to our sporting program were clearly evident. The Running Club he has run over recent months has no doubt contributed to our team’s success. Mr Dwyer is already busy planning our next sporting event and we look forward to seeing you at the Athletics Carnival in September.
Book Week is also fast approaching and we have several fun activities planned for students. On Thursday 21st August, younger students will pair with older students to share a book and enjoy lunch together at our inaugural Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. We invite all students to bring a silly hat, fascinator, wig or any piece of quirky headgear to wear on the day to help make the occasion memorable. A formal invitation with full details will be sent via Connect by the end of this week.
Enjoy the rest of your week.
Caroline Booth
NECISA Winter Carnival
On Thursday 26th June, selected Year 5 and 6 students from West Balcatta Primary School competed in the NECISA Winter Carnival. Students represented our school with pride, participating in AFL, Soccer and Netball against seven other schools.
In Netball, our A team finished in 1st place, taking out the Division A competition. The B team also had an outstanding day, finishing in 2nd place and demonstrating fantastic team spirit and support for one another throughout the carnival.
Our AFL team also finished in 1st place, making it their second year in a row at the top of the leaderboard! The players worked exceptionally well as a team and showed great sportsmanship on and off the field.
The Soccer team faced strong competition and played well throughout the day, finishing in 6th place overall. Despite some close matches, the team displayed resilience and determination and every player should be proud of their performance.
Overall, it was a successful and enjoyable carnival, with students showing excellent behaviour, teamwork and sportsmanship. It was also wonderful to see so many parents come along to support the teams.
A special thank you to our dedicated coaches: Victor Petropulos, Nick Camotti, Mel Genovese, Karen Kulevski, and Chris Giles. Thank you also to all the West Balcatta staff who managed teams and helped ensure the day ran smoothly.
Nanna Bingo
On Friday 27 June, the WBPS P&C hosted our first-ever Nanna Bingo Night – and what a fantastic evening it was! The assembly area was transformed into a sea of floral prints, cardigans, rollers and walking frames as staff, families and friends embraced the theme with enthusiasm and humour.
With laughter echoing through the assembly area, our enthusiastic bingo caller kept the crowd entertained with quirky number calls and hilarious prize giveaways. From novelty items to coffee hits, the prizes were a hit, especially the tins of baked beans and nanna knickers!
It was great to see our school community come together for such a fun and light-hearted event. The costumes were a highlight, with some convincing “nannas” and “poppas” on display. We may have even uncovered some hidden bingo talents in the crowd!
Best of all, the event raised valuable funds for new choir shirts, helping our singers look and feel their best at future performances.
A huge thank you to our amazing P&C for organising the event, sourcing the prizes and creating a memorable night for all. Events like this not only raise funds for our school but also strengthen the sense of community we love at West Balcatta.
TA6 Assembly
Last term, TA6 proudly presented an assembly themed around kindness. As part of our school's NAIDOC Week celebrations, we shared the beautiful Aboriginal Dreamtime story 'Kookoo Kookaburra', which taught us that “kindness is like a boomerang—if you throw it often, it comes back often.” This powerful message resonated deeply with our students and helped them understand the importance of compassion and respect in everyday life. To celebrate the spirit of inclusion and welcome, we sang Wanjoo, a Noongar welcome song, reminding everyone that everyone is welcome. It was a joyful and meaningful experience that highlighted the values of kindness, culture, and community.
Aussie of the Month
Shane, TA9
Shane is a kind and thoughtful student who always makes sure everyone feels included. Whether it's inviting a classmate to join a game or sharing a kind word, Shane shows care and respect for others. He listens carefully, helps friends when they need it, and makes sure no one feels left out. Shane's considerate and inclusive nature makes him a great friend to all.
NAIDOC Day
In week 10 of last term, our school proudly celebrated NAIDOC Week with a variety of engaging, hands-on activities that helped deepen students' understanding and appreciation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
While NAIDOC Week was officially held during the school holidays (from Sunday 7 July to Sunday 14 July), we chose to mark the occasion during term time so that all students could participate in meaningful learning and celebration as a whole school community.
The day began with a Welcome to Country, followed by an interactive storytelling session with Noongar man Olman Wally, who captivated students with Dreaming stories and cultural insights. Throughout the day, students across all year levels took part in a range of activities, including quizzes, traditional Indigenous games and buddy class sessions where they learned about Yarning Circles. Together, they crafted yarning sticks and helped contribute ideas to the design of a school yarning circle, a space we hope will become a lasting symbol of connection, reflection and shared understanding.
It was fantastic to see our school community dressed in the colours of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags and proudly wearing Indigenous prints. The enthusiasm and respect shown by students and staff alike made for a truly meaningful day.
A heartfelt thank you to our wonderful P&C for funding the Welcome to Country and storytelling sessions. Your support continues to enrich the learning experiences of our students.
Crazy Hair Day
Crazy Hair Day at the end of Term 2 was a huge success! Students and staff came to school sporting the wildest, wackiest, and most wonderful hairstyles we’ve ever seen.
From rainbow spray and sparkly buns to upside-down ponytails and wig-tastic wonders, creativity was on full display. It was a joyful way to end the term, with plenty of laughs and colour throughout the day.
Thank you to everyone who brought a gold coin donation. All funds raised will go towards the Year 6 Leaving Gift to the School, a special tradition that leaves a lasting reminder from our graduating students.
We loved seeing all the crazy creations and school spirit on show!
Premier’s Reading Challenge Wrap-Up
The Premier’s Reading Challenge has officially wrapped up for another year, and what a fantastic effort from our West Balcatta students! This year, we had 81 registered students (who logged at least one book), and together they read an incredible 1,741 books!
Here are our top readers for 2025:
Kindy: Diya – 83 books
Pre-primary: Ishaq – 34 books
Year 1: Jannvi – 88 books
Year 2: Adalee – 114 books
Year 3: Angus – 113 books
Year 4: Jack – 51 books
Year 5: McKayla – 58 books
Year 6: Adil – 111 books
These amazing students each received a special prize from the library for their efforts.
There were some close calls in the race for the top prize for most students registered, so instead, the prize was awarded to the year level with the most participants, and that was Year Two, with 18 students taking part! No wonder our Year Twos scored some of those exciting random prize packs from the Premier’s office!
Congratulations to everyone who participated. You can now download your 2025 certificate via the Premier’s Reading Challenge portal. If you need help, pop into the library before or after school on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday or Friday.
Interschool Cross Country
Last Tuesday, the students from Years 3–6 who were selected from the School Faction Cross Country competed in the annual Interschool Cross Country event. The event was held at Charles Veryard Reserve in North Perth, with beautiful, sunny weather throughout the morning. All students gave their best effort, and it was wonderful to hear West Balcatta students cheering for all runners on the course.
Based on the results from all races, West Balcatta finished in 3rd place overall with 897 points. This is a fantastic achievement, and it’s been great to see so many students attending Running Club in preparation for the event.
A special congratulations to:
Preston, who placed 2nd in the Boys Year 6 race
Jessica, who placed 3rd in the Girls Year 6 race
Kai, who placed 3rd in the Boys Year 5 race
Harrison (1st), Patrick (2nd), and Ethan (3rd) in the Boys Year 4 race
Thank you to Jessica Zupanov for volunteering her time to supervise the course all morning, and to the West Balcatta staff who helped ensure the day ran smoothly. All students should be very proud of their team effort at the 2025 Interschool Cross Country event.
Exciting News for Our Choir!
We are thrilled to share that, in just under four weeks, our choir will be performing at the One Big Voice concert at RAC Arena on Friday, 29th August, at 6:15 PM. This annual event continues to grow, and this year, over 4,000 students from across the region will come together to create “One Big Voice.” It promises to be an unforgettable night of music and celebration!
New Choir Shirts: Ready for the Big Event!
In even more exciting news, our brand-new choir shirts have arrived just in time for the concert! The students will be proudly wearing these uniforms at One Big Voice. A huge thank you to our P&C for generously funding the new uniforms. Your support means the world to the choir!
Audition Results: A Tremendous Achievement!
The One Big Voice concert also gives our choir students the opportunity to audition for solo performances and compere positions. This year, we had 17 students audition, each submitting three video performances. Out of over 2,000 audition videos from more than 65 schools, the selection process was highly competitive.
We are thrilled to announce that three of our students have been selected for special roles:
- Bruno (Year 6): Selected for two compere positions.
- Annabelle and Caitlyn (Year 5): Selected for a vocal group position.
This is a fantastic achievement, and we couldn’t be more proud of them!
Get Your Tickets for One Big Voice
We invite all families to join us for this special event. Tickets for the One Big Voice concert are available through Ticketek. Be sure to purchase tickets for the evening concert and come along to support our talented choir students. It will be a night full of beautiful music and wonderful performances!
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to seeing you there!
TA19 Assembly
Last week, TA19 wowed us all with a fun, clever and heartwarming assembly in celebration of International Friendship Day. Set in the world of a reality baking show, the students used humour, creativity and a sprinkle of drama to explore what true friendship really means. The performance was full of entertaining moments, thoughtful messages and plenty of personality, leaving the audience laughing and cheering. It was clear that a lot of effort, teamwork and imagination went into the item. Thank you, TA19!
No Hat, No Play – A Reminder for All Families
At West Balcatta Primary School, we are committed to keeping our students safe in the sun. As part of our No Hat, No Play policy, all students are required to wear a red school bucket hat when outside during recess, lunch, sport and other outdoor activities.
We’ve noticed an increase in the number of students arriving at school without their hats. While we have a small supply of spare hats for emergencies, these are intended for occasional use only.
Students who are coming to the office to borrow a hat on a regular basis will now be sent home with a reminder slip, encouraging families to purchase a hat. Red school bucket hats are available from Tudor Uniforms, and we recommend clearly labelling hats with your child’s name.
Thank you for your ongoing support in promoting sun safety at our school.
Lunch Clubs at West Balcatta
At West Balcatta Primary School, every day of the week brings a new opportunity for students to connect, create and recharge at our lunchtime clubs. After eating lunch, students meet outside the Zen Den in C Block before heading to the activity location; which might be the Zen Den itself, the courtyard, the Music Room or the Peace & Harmony Garden, depending on the activity, weather and group size. Read on to find out what’s happening each day!
Mindful Mondays
Start the week with calm and clarity in our gentle Mindful Monday sessions. Students alternate between relaxing sound bowl experiences with Mrs Jones and engaging mindfulness activities with Mrs Dimitrovski. During sound bowl weeks, children unwind to the soothing tones of metal singing bowls, specially designed for young listeners. On alternate weeks, students take part in peaceful, hands-on activities that promote emotional awareness, self-regulation and kindness. Whether they’re tuning into their breath or simply enjoying a quiet moment, students leave feeling refreshed and ready to take on the day with focus and positivity.
Building Buddies
Let your imagination soar every Tuesday at Building Buddies! Held in the Music Room, this club brings students from all year levels together to build, create and collaborate using LEGO. Run by Mrs Sibosado, the sessions are all about teamwork, creative thinking and having a blast while constructing amazing things together. Whether you're a seasoned master builder or a curious beginner, there's a place for you here. Share ideas, solve problems, and have loads of fun making new friends one brick at a time!
Wacky Wednesdays
Get ready to move, groove and giggle your way through Wednesday lunchtime! Run by Mrs Morana and Stephanie, Wacky Wednesdays are all about fun and friendship, with music, movement and silly games that are guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Whether you're busting out your best dance moves or taking part in a wild and wacky challenge, this midweek session is the perfect way to let loose and connect with others in a playful and energetic setting.
Thoughtful Thursdays
Join us on Thursdays for a fun and friendly lunchtime gathering that’s all about connection and kindness. Thoughtful Thursdays are led by Stephanie and the Play Team, and offer students the chance to try engaging group activities, meet new people and enjoy the company of others in a relaxed, inclusive space. Whether you're a quiet thinker or a social butterfly, you'll find something to enjoy as we build a thoughtful, caring community- one lunchtime at a time.
Fun Games Fridays
End the week with a dose of joy at Fun Games Friday! Join Mrs Tanner and the Student Councillors at the Zen Den for an exciting mix of classic games and friendly competition. From giant Jenga and Connect Four to limbo battles and team challenges, there's something for everyone. It’s the perfect way to celebrate the end of the week!
Bullying No Way: National Week of Action
This year, West Balcatta is proudly taking part in Bullying No Way: National Week of Action (11-15 August), joining thousands of schools and organisations across Australia in a united stand against bullying.
The National Week of Action is a time to show our school community’s commitment to bullying prevention. It’s an opportunity to connect with students, staff and families to promote respectful relationships and explore real solutions that help create safer learning environments for everyone.
This year’s theme is: Be Bold. Be Kind. Speak Up.
It takes courage and community to call out and prevent bullying, both inside and outside the school gates. Students are encouraged to be bold, be kind, and speak up when they see bullying happening. Trusted adults, at school and at home, play a vital role in guiding young people to build empathy, respect diversity, and know how to get help.
During the week, we’ll be engaging students in thoughtful activities and discussions focused on building empathy, understanding difference and empowering each other to take positive action. We encourage families to continue these conversations at home. Talking openly about bullying helps children feel supported and confident to speak up.
You can visit the Bullying No Way website for helpful conversation starters and tips on how to support your child.
Together, let’s stand up for kindness, inclusion, and respect. Let’s be bold. Be kind. Speak up.
Children's Book Week 2025
Children’s Book Week is almost here, and we can’t wait to celebrate the magic of reading with our students from August 16–23. This year marks a special milestone—the 80th anniversary of Children’s Book Week in Australia! The theme for 2025, “Book an Adventure!”, invites young readers to explore the wonders of storytelling, imagination, and discovery through books.
Throughout the week, students will dive into a range of book-themed activities, including shared reading sessions, creative writing tasks and class discussions about books. It’s a time to celebrate our favourite stories, discover new ones and let our imaginations run wild!
Our Book Week celebrations will finish with a much-loved tradition, Book Character Dress Up Day and Parade on Friday, August 22. Students are encouraged to come dressed as their favourite book character and join in the fun of the whole-school parade. Whether it’s a daring adventurer, a curious creature or a classic hero from a beloved tale, we can't wait to see the creative costumes and hear the stories behind them.
Book Week is a fantastic opportunity to foster a love of reading and celebrate the joy that books bring into our lives. We look forward to an adventurous week of literary fun!
