We were very excited to participate in the Grand Opening of the Larkhill Community Garden at our Karnup site on Sunday 1 November. Thank you to the students, families and staff who volunteered on the day and in the lead-up to the event at the busy bee. We would also like to thank the Adolescent Program students who volunteered at our recent Sports Day. The feedback from staff and students was so positive about how well each of the activities was coordinated. We also thank the AP students who prepared lunches for all on Sports Day; they were delicious.
On Wednesday, the Teddy Bears Picnic event was held at Fantasy Park, Waikiki. Ayesha, Jodie, Jacinta, Liz and I enjoyed this opportunity to speak with families of young children about our playgroups, childcare and school programs. What was most pleasing is that, over the years we have been attending this event, there are more and more families who know what Montessori is and are seeking us out to find out more about our programs. It was also wonderful to see the article in The West Australian this week about the move for WA families towards independent schooling and that the article specifically mentioned Montessori. Congratulations to our families for the ongoing support and word-of-mouth referrals towards this fantastic educational method.
As a result of the ongoing growth of West Coast Montessori, I am delighted to inform you that, at the Rockingham Child Care site, we have just commenced our third full-time staff member to ensure we meet ratio with our increasing numbers. Also, at the Rockingham site, we are so pleased to welcome Linda Noonan, who will join us as the new Dugongs teacher. The Turtles Upper Primary class has now grown into their new space and, with these expanded numbers, we are recommencing the Dugongs class at the beginning of the year. Through 2027, the Turtles and Dugongs classes will be combined and will eventually have the dividing wall closed to create two separate Upper Primary classes once again. Finally, we are delighted to inform you that we only have three spaces left in our Senior School advisories in the Adolescent Program for 2027. The success of our graduates from the Adolescent Program is becoming more widely known and, as a result, we have seen a considerable increase in retention and enrolment at this end of the school. Congratulations to all our staff and students for all the hard work they do every day to achieve such amazing results.
I would like to remind all families from both the Primary and Adolescent Programs of our upcoming Parent Education session, which will be held at your respective campus. This term's topic is Grace and Courtesy and, as this is a key component of how our classes and the Montessori philosophy are developed, we expect parent/family attendance so we can all work together with a common message to support your child's growth in this area. Please note that this is a key aspect of developing our positive school culture, and we look forward to seeing you at this event.
Our next Dad Network event is this evening, Monday 2 November from 5 pm – 6 pm. Please remind your child's father figure of this event, and we look forward to seeing him.
- Vanessa
Principal
