Kaya
I would like to extend a warm welcome to our newest WAPPA members:
Joanne Bassett, Inglewood PS
Katia Bue, Somerley PS
Nerida Campbell, Braeside PS
Cynthia Donaldson, Northam PS
Nicole Lavender, Wooroloo PS
Dawn McDonald, East Hamersley PS
Heather Pardoe, Waggrakine PS
Kerry Skillen, North Balga PS
We look forward to providing you with the Support, Advocacy, Leadership Development and Connection, that WAPPA is renowned for. Likewise, we welcome your voice to the ongoing discussion around primary education and school leadership, through the numerous avenues provided to our members. It is pleasing to see our membership growing steadily since the start of the year.
Welcome Back
I trust all of you had a relaxing holiday break and managed to 'switch off' for a few weeks. Announcements over the holiday period surrounding Covid rules and close contacts, may have presented both some relief, and new concerns. WAPPA is pleased with the fact that members no longer need to trace and report close contacts at school, but we do have concerns about the easing of mask mandates and close contact rules, and implications for staff safety in early primary settings. Schools should continue to work with your School Board and parent communities to determine what this looks like, based on your school's context and needs.
Schools will soon receive RATs for students to take home and will be expected to manage this distribution process. WAPPA is keen to see a common sense approach to how this will be managed across the state, so that each school can best meet its community needs. School leaders should also be aware, that whilst the impending RATs are not for staff use, we have been advised that schools can contact the Department at any time, to secure additional RATs for staff.
OSHClub 2022 WAPPA Conference Update
Over the last few weeks, we have dropped a few teasers on social media about our Gala Dinner theme and entertainment. It was pleasing to see so many budding entertainers nominate themselves, or their colleagues when I mentioned if something could go wrong it has... However, that was all part of the fun, as we are extremely excited to announce our theme as Winter Wonderland and our entertainment as Murphy's Lore, featuring Chris and Courtney Murphy of Australian Idol fame.
Together, with the great line up of speakers, this year's conference promises to be an amazing event and one you do not want to miss. Our individual day registrations are now open and the full conference program is available. See the link below. Make sure you jump online and secure your 3 day or individual day registrations ASAP.
As is always the case, we are on the look out for inspiring concurrent presentations and school student performances to round out our program. If you would like to showcase your school’s amazing student performance at conference or if you have or know of, an inspiring presentation, please review the relevant EOI.
Individual day conference registrations and the full schedule
2022 WAPPA Partner Welcome
We are pleased to welcome Compass Education as a WAPPA Partner in 2022. Watch the video below to hear from Neil Spence, State Manager WA.
Research Opportunity & Request
As you know, WAPPA has always supported credible research into matters that impact primary education and primary school leaders. We have currently been approached by Curtin University, who are conducting two research projects. One study requires two metropolitan schools to be directly involved with a study into Mindfulness and Meditation.
The second is a request I have received from Curtin University, into a study titled; Identifying Predictors of Mental Health among Children with Dyslexia: A Prospective Cohort Study. They are seeking our support in simply promoting the study to parents of Year 6 students, with minimal impost on schools.
Boordawan.