Our renovations at the Rockingham Primary School site in the multipurpose area between Penguins and Jellyfish classrooms are coming to an end. The painting is complete, carpeting and final fixtures are being installed and we have been advised that handover will be imminent. I want to thank all staff and students for their patience with this building project and would like to invite all families to join us on 19 June at 2pm where the honourable Madeline King MP will open this new facility.
We have very exciting news from our student alumni, on 14 April Kaitlyn Todd married Connor Gibling at our Karnup farm property. This beautiful facility was transported back to its previous use of a wedding facility providing a glorious backdrop for Kaitlyn and Connor to share their very special vows of love. The children and staff in the primary school and also at the West Coast Montessori Early Learning Centre site were delighted to learn of Kaitlyn’s news, as she is not only a past student but a much-loved member of our staff. On 30 April we were delighted to have Maia Pritchard join our staff as Education Assistant in the Janda class at the Port Kennedy Primary School site. Maia joined the school at seven years of age and has now returned to work with one of her favourite teachers Venus, to support our Upper Primary class. We are very proud to now have three previous students on our staff – Mark Simms, Kaitlyn and Maia.
A key part of the Montessori curriculum is “going out”. Dr Maria Montessori recognised children need a dual environment that is found within the Montessori classroom and that which is found outside this prepared environment. Children must witness and experience first-hand what is out in the community. A true going out trip is one that is thought of, planned, organised, executed, and followed up by the child. With the older children it is an expression of independence and responsibility. These past weeks have seen lots of fun for students across both Primary and Adolescent Program settings as our going out activities or school camps have been occurring. On 22 April the Upper Primary students headed to Fairbridge Village in Pinjarra for their three-day camp. On 2 May the Lower Primary children attended the Point Peron Camp School site for their two day camp and on 28 May the Middle School students will head to Nanga Bush Camp for their expedition. Each of the events grow in their level of complexity for the students, providing an opportunity for the children to develop independence, problem solving and tolerance to complete tasks out of their comfort zones. I would like to thank all staff who took time away from their own families to attend these very important events.
West Coast Montessori Early Learning Centre is proceeding through its transformation with signage now installed and our website poised to go live. We have had significant interest in enrolments at this site and encourage families to put their child’s name on the wait list if they want a place. Please feel free to book a tour through the website or by emailing office@WCM.wa.edu.au. Each of the five rooms have now been transformed to include Montessori shelving and equipment and we are currently focusing on further developing the outdoor areas to provide prepared environments for each of the age ranges. I would like to thank Deb Dwyer for her skills and expertise whilst working in the centre this semester to support the transformation of the Children’s House rooms, along with Orla Dineen who has provided guidance and support on the set-up of the babies and toddlers rooms. I would also like to thank all the staff at WCM for their dedication and willingness to go with all the changes that have gradually been introduced. This truly has been a wonderful team effort.
We look forward to seeing all families at the School Disco to be held from 5 – 7pm on Friday 10 May at the Rockingham Primary School site. There will be a raffle on the night with the first prize being a bike and helmet, kindly donated by the honourable Madeline King MP.