DISTRICT OFFICE OFFLINE WEDNESDAY 23 NOVEMBER
Staff from the District Office will be involved in a day of strategic planning for the 2006 school year at the Willow Pond Function Centre on Wednesday 23 November and as such will be offline.
Please call the District Office on 9311 0508 if you require any DO assistance during the day, however in an emergency please phone the relevant staff on their mobile telephone numbers.
HUNTINGDALE PS TEACHER WINS PREMIER'S SCIENCE AWARD
Natalie Birrell, winner of this year's Premier's Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching (Primary), has had her busiest year yet. The Huntingdale PS teacher has guided the school through a Waterwise Schools program, been a trial teacher for the new national curriculum resource, Primary Connections, and guest lectured student teachers at Edith Cowan University.
"It's been an absolutely non-stop year, and I've enjoyed all of it," she says. "Huntingdale achieving its Waterwise School accreditation was a big highlight. Each class had to participate in a waterwise activity and we celebrated at the end with a big assembly in which each year performed something with a water theme."
Her primary school also features heavily in the Science Talent Search, winning awards for the past three years. She credits colleagues at her first teaching post, North Kalgoorlie Primary School, with nurturing her interest in science teaching. "They were a great bunch of teachers and they really opened my eyes to science. I learned about the Science Talent Search competition and we formed a committee in Kalgoorlie for science teachers in the whole region," she says.
A science co-ordinator for four pre-primary schools and a STAWA Pre-Primary Committee member, Mrs Birrell often presents at PRISSEM, the annual Primary Science Seminar. This year she talked about Concept Cartoons, a UK-designed classroom tool. Well done Natalie!
ABORIGINAL EDUCATION REMINDERS
IESIP EXPO : Willow Pond starting 9.00am Monday 21 November, showcasing displays from 19 IESIP schools, speakers include Kevin O'Keefe - Executive Director, Bruce Loo - Aboriginal Education Advisory Council Chairperson, Simon Reid - Principal East Maddington. All welcome.
IESIP Acquittals are due on Friday November 25 2005.
IESIP Submission is due on Monday November 28 2005.
FEDERAL INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS SURVEY
A big thank you to Principals for replying so promptly to the survey sent out by Mark Williams on Wednesday afternoon. If you have not sent your response in please do so ASAP.
PRINCIPALS END OF YEAR FUNCTION - MONDAY 28 NOVEMBER
A reminder that if you have not RSVP'd your attendance please do so to Cheryl.Paull@det.wa.edu.au ASAP.
Signed
Lindsay Usher, Kim Guelfi, Garry Hewitt
ATTACHMENTS
Operational Plan 05-08 - Copy of Aboriginal Education Operational Plan 2005 - 2008.
WHATS ON NEXT WEEK
For information on upcoming professional learning opportunities view the Professional Learning Calendar for Term 4 2005 at