PRINCIPAL’S NOTES

Welcome to the first edition of the School Newsletter in 2020. I especially welcome families new to Peter Moyes Anglican Community School. This year is shaping up to be a big one as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary and launch into the next stage of our journey with the release of the School’s new Strategic Plan. The development of our new plan was a consultative process with all members of our community given an opportunity to have their say on our future direction. On behalf of the School Council I sincerely thank all students, parents and staff who have been involved in the plan’s development. A snapshot of the new Strategic Plan was released in December and I am delighted to announce that the full version is now available on our website, through Facebook, or directly through this link 2020 - 2024 Strategic Plan.

2019 ATAR Results

In early January I wrote to all families detailing the academic achievements of the Year 12 cohort from 2019. While I won’t repeat the entire contents of my letter in this forum, I am very pleased to report that our median ATAR was equal 37th in the state, with the School being highlighted in the 8 January edition of The West Australian as a ‘Top 50’ School. I would also like to highlight the achievement of our General Pathway students. The Year 12 cohort of 2019 had the opportunity during their time in Senior School to complete Certificate courses at either Level I, II and III. Certificates were offered in various fields including Creative Arts, Sport and Business. By the end of 2019, 30 students had completed a Level I Certificate, 87 students had completed a Level II Certificate and 14 students had completed a Level III Certificate. The completion of Certificate level courses demands commitment as well as academic rigour and we celebrate the achievement of our General Pathway students. The full version of my letter to families can be found through this link 2019 Year 12 ATAR Summary Letter. Congratulations to the entire Year 12 Cohort of 2019, the School is very proud of your achievements.

Staff News

At the start of this year we welcomed many new students and families into our community. We also welcomed several new staff to our school:

Alex McNamara – English Learning Support Teacher (Term 1 LSL Cover)

Adrian Bandy – Secondary Mathematics Teacher

Denise Cooper – Technologies Education Assistant

David Davies – Secondary Digital Technologies Teacher

Michelle Gaenslar – Primary School Education Assistant

Ariane Salomone – Secondary Drama Teacher (Semester 1 LSL Cover)

Lachlan Hall – Secondary Humanities Teacher

Roger McNamara – Deputy Principal

Fransisca Smith – Secondary Indonesian Teacher

Lisa Thomas – Secondary Science Teacher (returning from Maternity leave)

Michelle Underwood – Teacher in Charge of Religious Education

Joanna Waide – Pre-Primary Teacher

These staff have already made a significant impact across the School, and I am looking forward to their further contributions to our community in the weeks and months ahead. In addition, Harry Walker, Year 12 Class of 2019, has returned to the School as a trainee in the Health and Physical Education Department, as part of the AFL Sports Ready programme. Harry is assisting HPE Staff with a range of tasks, including Outdoor Education activities, CAS preparation and supervision, equipment maintenance and support in lessons and on excursions.  AFL Sports Ready is a national, not-for-profit company dedicated to helping young Australians develop careers through traineeships and educational opportunities. They provide an entry-level training and support program that combines practical work experience with vocational education, helping young Australians kick-start their careers.

Harry has been a great addition to the staff at our school and I am looking forward to building on this programme in coming years to provide further career pathway opportunities for our students to build on their skills.

Bushfire Fundraising Appeal

The School recently coordinated a fund-raising day on Friday, 28th February to raise funds for two Anglican school communities severely affected by bushfires. The two schools are St Peter’s College in Broulee, and Sapphire Coast Anglican College in Bega. Students were able to wear free dress on the day for a gold coin donation, with a bake sale also held in the secondary school. The event was a great success with over $2000 raised. These funds have since been shared between the two school communities who have both written to us expressing their deep gratitude for our support.

20th Anniversary Events

As part of our 20th Anniversary celebrations, the School organised a Welcome to Country and Smoke Ceremony on Wednesday 5 February. Students from Year 1 to 12 were present for the 30-minute morning service on the North Oval. Students were exceptionally respectful during the service, aided by a cooling mist coming straight off the Indian Ocean. A smoking ceremony is an ancient Aboriginal custom that involves burning various native plants to produce smoke. A smoking ceremony is a gift from the Aboriginal people, and we were very grateful that local Aboriginal member Shaun Nannup was able to join us for such a special occasion and to perform the ceremony. This event was the first in a series of activities that will be held across 2020 to celebrate our 20th anniversary and I encourage you to keep an eye on the School App and Facebook page as further details are announced.

Year 12 Ball

I recently had the pleasure of attending the Year 12 Ball on Friday 7 February at Joondalup Resort. The event was coordinated by Mr Larry Parkes, with some subtle changes to photography arrangements proving a hit with students.  I commend Mr Parkes and the members of the School Ball Committee for their considerable contributions in making the evening a success. The students were immaculately dressed, well behaved and respectful, with everyone enjoying the hospitality provided. It was wonderful to see our staff, students and invited guests engaging with each other on the night and enjoying such a special evening!

I look forward to seeing you on campus as we celebrate a significant milestone in the School’s history.

Every Blessing.

Benjamin Lomas
PRINCIPAL