3 April 2025

Messages From the Principal

Strategic Planning

The Diagnostic Inventory of School Alignment survey (DISA) community survey has now closed. The information gathered will be used to develop our next business plan. Thank you to all who participated.

Encouragement of student “voice”
A powerful vision & defined values
An embedded revitalisation process
Community perceptions and attitudes
Promotional activities in the community
Focused resource decision-making processes

Harmony Week at DHPS

Although the official celebration of Harmony Week was 15 to 21 March, we celebrated this wonderful opportunity this week. Our HASS committee worked hard, with the assistance of our students, to prepare and plan some wonderful activities that included: read aloud, lunchtime activities, wearing orange or cultural dress, special lunch orders, art activities and incorporating the theme in daily class studies. Thank you to our P&C and HASS committee: Mrs McInnes, Miss du Plessis, Miss Dimanopoulos, Mrs Brogna and Mrs Pickles for your support, planning and preparing the activities.

Students’ individual wellbeing
Embedded community engagement processes
Communities of support for the school’s vision and outcomes

NAPLAN

Testing is now complete, and we await the results. The date for these is yet to be confirmed. Thank you to Mr Taylor for his meticulous planning, navigating the logistics and to the staff and parents for the preparation of our students.

Curriculum development and adaptation
Schoolwide analysis of successful T L&A practices
The creation of a schoolwide pedagogical framework
Linking of SWP principles to emerging systemic policies and innovative programs

School Board

We held our first Board meeting for the year on Monday 24 March. One of our agenda items was membership. I would like to inform you that Lorinda Mortimer has informed us that she will be stepping down from her position as Chair and Board Member.  It is with sadness that I present this news to you.  Lorinda has been a Board Member for 9 years, 7 of those as the Chair. We have been through many difficult and celebratory times together, with her focus always being on the best interest of our school, students and staff.  Thank you, Lorinda, for your support and careful governance of our school. I/we wish you all the very best for the future and go knowing that you made a difference to all here at DHPS. A very warm thank you to Souniyasmita Das who also decided not to continue after her tenure. As part of the Terms of Reference, we reviewed the tenure of the current membership and have 3 parent positions available. If you are interested in a School Board position, please complete an Expression of Interest form available from the school office and submit your completed EOI by 3pm, Thursday 10 April 2025. The tenure is for 2 years. If we receive more interest than positions available, the community will be asked to vote for their preference. Thank you for your continued support.

Embedded community engagement processes
Communities of support for the school’s vision and outcomes
High expectations, by the school’s communities, for student & school outcomes

Swimming Carnival

Unfortunately, due to the mini heatwave we experienced last week, our carnival was cancelled and has been rescheduled for 1 May, in Term 2, Week 1. Thank you for your understanding.

Students’ individual wellbeing
Embedded community engagement processes
Design of learning environments – classroom, schoolwide

Last newsletter

It’s hard to believe that this is the last newsletter for the term. We have certainly had a very busy term, especially with reference to the testing program. We have completed On Entry testing, NAPLAN and PAT testing. The data gathered will inform our teaching practice. Thank you to my staff for their professionalism and ensuring that our students have the best start for the year ahead. I wish you all a happy Easter and hopefully you can spend some time with family and friends over the school holidays. See you all in Term 2.

Works

1. The Department has conducted further tree pruning to keep our environment safe.

School resourcing
Aesthetic environment
An embedded revitalisation process
Design of learning environments – classroom, schoolwide

Mr Peter Jakimowiez
Principal

Messages From the Manager Corporate Services

School photography: Photo Hendriks Monday 5 May and Thursday 8 May

Photo Hendriks will be on site during Week 2 of Term 2, to take individual, class and family photos. Specialty group photos are scheduled for later in the year. All orders for photographs will need to be placed online. More information, including the unique all-in-one school access key will be sent home via School Stream shortly.

Program Kaartdijin - Compass

Our school has received notification that our Kaartdijin journey will commence mid-way through Term 2. Kaartdijin is the Noongar word for ‘knowledge’ or ‘wisdom.’ Phase 1 will provide partial integration with Department systems as we transition to using Compass to manage areas such as attendance, parent notifications and student administration.  Over a period of 8 weeks, staff at Dianella Heights will be busy undergoing intensive training in order to be ready for our go-live date in Term 3. Recently I was fortunate enough to visit a school that is already using Compass and was impressed to see the advantages that it will bring to Dianella Heights. Program Kaartdijin will implement a connected, shared system of student and school knowledge. It will provide modern functionality and access, provide improved data quality and streamlined processes and support school teams to focus on what matters.

Mrs Jackie Kelly
Manager Corporate Services

EALD – English as Additional Language/Dialect

The students have had a busy term of learning in their EALD sessions. The Kindergarten and Pre-primary students have been learning all about characters and generating sentences of increasing complexity to include the character (noun), what doing (verb) and where. They also had fun sorting objects into the 2 groups of characters and not characters.

The Year 2 students have completed a unit of work on the hilarious book ‘Rodney Loses it!’ by Michael Gerard Bauer. This book and the sequel can be found in our school library. The students answered some literal and inferential questions about the story, and wrote lots of descriptive sentences about this forgetful, grumpy, little rabbit.

School Stream is our main form of communication at Dianella Heights. This app has a language feature that can translate information into 104 different languages including Arabic, Gujarati, Hindi, Korean and Thai. To translate within the app, select the menu tab at the top left, select Settings, Language Translate: ON, and then select your home language.

ECE – Early Childhood Education

Kindergarten News - Term 1 Wrap-Up

As the term comes to a close, it’s exciting to reflect on how wonderfully the children have settled into kindergarten. They have embraced new routines, formed new friendships, and already learned so much! We are incredibly proud of their growth and achievements so far.

In Literacy

Recently, we have been focusing on syllables, teaching the children that a syllable is a "beat" in a word. They have had a blast identifying syllables through various fun activities, such as drumming, tapping body parts, and playing word games. These interactive activities have helped build their phonological awareness in a playful way.

In Numeracy

Our little learners have been exploring numbers up to 10 and learning to subitise numbers to 6 (recognizing how many objects are in a group without counting them). We have also been identifying the properties of shapes! The children have had a great time sorting, making pictures, and crafting using triangles, squares, and circles.

Celebrations Around the World

We have also had the opportunity to celebrate and learn about different cultural celebrations from around the world. The children have learned about Chinese New Year, Ramadan, St. Patrick’s Day, and Valentine’s Day. They have participated in art and sensory tray activities, making these celebrations come to life in a hands-on way.

Pre-Primary News - Term 1 Wrap-Up

Our Pre-primary students have been busy! We have completed our On-Entry testing and kicked off our home reading program with great enthusiasm. In Talk for Writing, we have been exploring recounts, starting with an exciting adventure where Mrs McKeon and Mrs Crockford found themselves locked in the storeroom! The children worked together to search the school for the missing keys, turning it into a fantastic storytelling experience.

In mathematics, we have been strengthening our counting and number skills through subitising, one-to-one correspondence, identifying numbers before and after, and exploring the language of probability.

We have also had an exciting time in Design and Technology, where we worked alongside our Pre-primary teachers and buddies to design and build our own boats! This hands-on project was a fantastic opportunity for collaboration, creativity, and problem-solving.

A Fantastic First Term

It has been a fabulous first term getting to know your child and supporting their early learning journey. We are looking forward to our Superhero Dress-Up Day on Thursday in Week 10 to celebrate the students' efforts across Term 1. We can’t wait to continue the fun and learning in Term 2. Thank you for your ongoing support, and we look forward to another exciting term ahead!

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Wellbeing Officer

Aussie of the Month

Tony L in Year 2 was recognised as our Aussie of the Month at the last assembly. Congratulations Tony, you are a superstar!

Focus Virtue

Our last focus virtue was ‘Excellence’. These amazing students were recognised for practising excellence.

Next Focus Virtue

The next focus virtue is - Creativity

You are practising creativity when you:

• Discover your gifts
• Use knowledge and training to develop them
• Think of new ways to make things work better
• Use your imagination and problem-solving skills
• Take time for dreaming
• Do things in your own creative way

What might creativity look like at home?

• Allow time and freedom, free from screens but with space and supplies, and see where it leads
• Baking and cooking together
• Build something - a Lego city, a block tower, an indoor cubby, a train track
• Grow a small garden patch
• Try a simple science experiment (like baking soda & vinegar)
• Embrace boredom. Embrace mess!

Friday Lunchtime Disco

During Term 1 we have been getting our groove on with our Friday lunchtime discos! An open space, a speaker and some poppin’ tunes are all that’s needed to bring a whole lot of joy to our Friday afternoons. Students from Year 1 to Year 6 have been spinning, jumping, sliding and cartwheeling, with some impressive breakdancing moves on display too! It’s been amazing to see students really let go, have fun and embrace the idea of just having a dance together.

Jessica Lewis
Student Wellbeing Officer

From Around the School

Harmony Week

The Year 1 students from Room 3 and the Year 5 students from Room 5 celebrated Harmony Week by discussing their heritage, cultural traditions and foods. They worked collaboratively to create beautiful, colourful murals that represent harmony and diversity. You can see their amazing work in the Room 2 and 3 wet area. 

Saskia Worthington & Alex Righton
Year 1 and Year 5 Teachers

Student Achievement

We would like to congratulate Emily S who came third in the Beach Sprint at the Scarboro Surf Lifesaving Club championships held on 9 March 2025. Emily was awarded the medal at the club celebration. We are so proud of her for working hard at challenging herself in all activities in the club, which include flags, beach sprints, 1km run, paddle board and swimming. The waves can get as high as 5 metres!

Congratulations to Dann I in Year 5 for earning a bronze medal in the Under 40kg State Sparring Competition held at Gold Netball Stadium, Jolimont. With five years of dedicated training and competition at Ronin Karate School, this is an outstanding achievement and a testament to Dann’s hard work, perseverance, and passion for karate. Well done, Dann! 

Sports Report

Be a Sporting Hero Free Dress Day and Sports Equipment Collection in support of FAIR GAME

WE NEED YOUR HELP!!

We are supporting Fair Game, a WA charity that recycles sports equipment and distributes it to children in remote, regional and underserviced communities across the state.

Last Day of Term 1

Students at DHPS are invited to come to school on Friday 11 April dressed as their favourite sporting hero or in their team colours, in return for a gold coin donation. 

• Come dressed as your favourite sporting hero or in your team colours.
• Bring any unwanted or outgrown sports equipment to donate – most needed items are runners, footy boots, footballs, soccer balls and basketballs. Please make sure donations are clean and in good useable condition with plenty of life left in them. Please place in the bin provided in the bottom undercover area.
• We are not able to take helmets or clothing.
• Your gold coin donation and pre-loved equipment makes you a sporting hero as it enables another child to enjoy the benefits of playing sport too.

P & C

Kaya everyone, 

Find updates and more information about Dianella Heights Primary School P&C and visit our website or google search DHPS SQUARE. 

Warm regards,

Indah Yildiz
P & C President

School Board

Dear DHPS community,

Sadly, after 9 years on the DHPS School Board, two years as Secretary and seven as Board Chair it’s time for me to say goodbye.

 I really have had a rewarding time helping to lead our school. There have some been some curly times, and there have been some awesome times! I have seen so many wonderful students graduate, met so many fantastic teachers, and worked with an awesome administration group.

My last of 4 children left DHPS 2 years ago, but I was so proud of our school I decided to stay on longer and help where I could. 

Thank you to all Board Members that have supported me in my time. Thank you to all staff that give me the biggest smile and a hug whenever they see me! Biggest thank you to Peter, for respecting me, my opinions and input in so many various school situations.

It will be sad not seeing some of you and not being on the school grounds. Thank you for the support and help that our DHPS community has shown me over the years. I am truly grateful for the opportunity to be on the Board, and for you trusting me in my role. 

With thanks and gratitude, 

Lorinda Mortimer 

Triple P – Seminar 1

Keyed Up Music

Hello parents and carers,

Enrolments for musical instrument lessons are still open. Save a spot for Term 2 via the Keyed Up Music Website. Enrolment Information • Piano Lessons and Guitar Lessons Perth - Keyed Up Music - Piano Lessons and Guitar Lessons Perth

Girl Guides WA

Female Mountain Bike Event

WA Gravity Girls is an advocacy group helping support more women to participate in gravity focused mountain biking in Western Australia. Their goal is to support the growing female riding community in both social and race environments through stakeholder advocacy and community engagement.

WA Gravity Girls is a non-for-profit organisation with the goal of getting more women and girls on bikes! They will be holding a female mountain bike event at Dianella Pump Track at Dianella Regional Open Space, Light Street, Dianella. This is their first event of the year, funded by a grant secured through the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.

Below is the website where you can register for the event.

Midvale Hub Parenting Service

Midvale Hub Parenting Service | midvalehub

MIDVALE HUB PARENTING SERVICE PERTH NE | Humanitix

2025 Term Dates

The Term Planner has been published on School Stream.