P & C

The Art Room Grand Opening!

On Tuesday 20th May the new Art room officially opened! I am excited to share this new space with all classes and for students to learn many wonderful things and explore new artistic techniques. Art classes have commenced this week in the new room and creativity has already begun to blossom as students dived into new projects.

This term, students will be exploring different artistic techniques with a variety of art mediums, including oil, pastel and watercolour painting to begin with.

I am thrilled to have created this learning space for our students and can’t wait to see all the wonderful artworks and creations that are about to be created.

Friday of week 7 this term is our Arts Assembly and we look forward to seeing lots of families there.

It will be a special experience filled with many performances and artworks on display.

Kind regards

Miss Defty
Art Specialist

Premier’s Reading Challenge

Somerly Greenhouse

We are excited to announce that the greenhouse system is now fully operational. Thanks to the generous donations from Telethon and Food Ladder, we have successfully established our Somerly Greenhouse. After some anticipation, we are thrilled to begin utilising this new space.

Our Year 6 classes have kicked off the first round of planting, including a variety of seeds such as mixed lettuce, Cos lettuce, Pak Choy, spinach, and watercress. This hands-on project was integrated into their math and technology lessons. Each student was assigned two different types of plants. Daily, they measured the growth of their plants and charted their progress on a graph.

Once the plants matured the students harvested produce, which was a lot!

They then got to try some vegetables they had not tried before and made a delicious, healthy meal.  This initiative taught important mathematical concepts and imparted valuable life skills, as students learned to prepare fresh, nutritious food.

Our school plans to provide each class with the opportunity to engage in greenhouse activities, integrating this exciting space into our literacy, science and design technology units throughout the year.

We are eager to see what we can achieve in this space and how much fresh produce we can provide for our school community. Be sure to keep an eye out for updates and produce stalls at future assemblies.

Mrs Mulder

Message from Year 6 Team

📣 Pancake and Hot Chocolate Stall – Week 7! 🍫🥞

Get ready for a tasty treat! In Week 7, the Year 6 students will be running a Pancake and Hot Chocolate Stall at lunchtime to help raise money for their upcoming camp.

What’s on the menu?

• Hot Chocolate – $3 each
• Pancakes (3 per serve) – $5

When?
The stall will run at lunchtime on the following days:

• Wednesday – Kindy & Pre-Primary
• Thursday – Year 1 to Year 3
• Friday – Year 4 to Year 6

Where?
Outside the canteen in the Undercover Area. Students should bring their cash and line up at lunchtime on their allocated day.

Thank you for supporting our Year 6 students as they work hard to fundraise for their camp!

Warm regards
The Year 6 Team

2026 Enrolments

Late Collection of Students

Somerly Primary School has a student finish time of 2.45pm each day. If your child has not been picked up before 3pm, you will be required to come to the front office to sign them out.

Not Feeling Well?

If your child is not feeling well before school, please keep them home and notify the office by phoning 6206 4200 or emailing somerly.ps@education.wa.edu.au.

Students Late to School

If your child arrives late to school, they are missing critical morning routines and learning activities. The school day begins at 8:40am and students will be considered late if they do not arrive by this time. If your child arrives after 8.40am you are required to enter through the front office and provide us with a reason for the lateness. A late pass will be given to you for you to give to the class teacher.

Behaviour Focus

Our behaviour focus for Week 5 is:-

We are learning to: be respectful by using kind words and manners when speaking to others.

This is because: everyone is entitled to feel respected and feel valued.

What we will see:

• People speaking calmly
• People using kind words
• People listening when others speak to them

Stars

Principal’s Report

Dear Parents/Caregivers

Our vision is to foster every individual’s academic and social development driven by high expectations for success and aspirations for them to become resilient, respectful individuals.

As we approach the halfway point of Term 2, I’d like to take this opportunity to reflect on what is another busy term at Somerly Primary School. Our children continue to thrive, both in and out of the classroom, and I am proud of the progress and enthusiasm demonstrated across all year levels.

Sorry Day

This week we have acknowledged Sorry Day. Children have read stories and completed activities in class to learn about the Stolen Generation and develop an understanding of the grief, loss, and injustice experienced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were forcibly removed from their families under government policies. We are aware that this day holds particular significance for our Indigenous families who have been deeply impacted by these actions. We have reflected on the enduring strength and resilience of Aboriginal communities, and we commit to truth-telling, reconciliation, and fostering a more just and inclusive future for all at Somerly Primary School. I hope that you enjoyed today's assembly by Rm 13 who shared their learning on this sensitive topic. 

Learning and Achievement

This term, our focus has remained on delivering high-quality teaching and learning programs including the new phonics program in Pre-Primary and Years 1 and 2 which is already showing improved progress in the students. We have also been working hard on introducing new school routines with an initial focus on how we get ready for lessons after recess and lunch, ensuring children enter the classroom calmly and ready to learn. Teachers have been working hard to embed these new routines and ensure that every student is supported and challenged to achieve their personal best. 

Wellbeing and Engagement

Next week will be an exciting time for the school as groundworks will begin for a new demountable classroom soon to be delivered. Rm 21 (Y3) Miss Katy Hough's class will be the lucky beneficiaries of this new classroom once it has been delivered and kitted out with new equipment. 

This additional space will enable us to continue our commitment to student wellbeing. We are in the process of developing a nurture hub which will initially be based in our library but will eventually be based in Rm 21 once it has been vacated. This hub will be staffed by some of our amazing Education Assistants to support children with their emotional and social development.

Looking Ahead

As we prepare for the second half of Term 2, we are excited about upcoming events, including the Interschool Lightning Carnival and the discos organised by the P&C. Please keep an eye out for more information in the coming weeks.

Finally, I would like to thank our staff, students, and families for your continued support. It is through strong partnerships that we create the best learning environment for our children.

Wishing you all a safe and restful long weekend.

Warm regards

Jonathan Smith
Principal

Somerly Dads Group

P & C

Colour Run and Big Thank you

This Friday – 11th April, the P&C is excited to host a Colour Run on the school oval, starting at 1:15 PM. We’ll kick off with announcements of the free Easter Raffle winners, the total amount raised, and the top fundraising students and classes, followed by the sliming of Mr Smith. The event will feature two obstacle courses: a smaller, simpler one for Kindy to Year 1 students, and a main course for Years 2 to 6, with coloured powder, music, and water sprays adding to the fun. Parents and caregivers are warmly invited to join us. 

A massive thank you to our school families for your amazing support! Your generosity, and fundraising efforts have truly amazed us. It’s been wonderful to see so many students stepping up and showing such dedication and care for their school. We are extremely grateful and can’t wait to see you all on Friday!

Somerly P&C’s Free Easter Raffle - Thanking Our Kids and Aunty Nel

This year, the P&C is excited to offer a Free Easter Raffle for all students, thanks to the incredible generosity of Ms Janelle Smith — whom some of you may know as Aunty Nel; a member of our School Board and also P&C Vice President. One student from each class will win a beautiful Easter hamper filled with chocolate and other goodies. This is our way of saying thank you to the wonderful kids at Somerly for being the respectful, responsible young people that they are. A heartfelt thank you to Aunty Nel for making this special treat possible!

The raffle is being drawn this Friday at the colour run — If you haven’t yet signed your kids up for the raffle, please visit the following link (It only takes 30 seconds!): 

A Message from the School Board Chair – End of Term 1, 2025

On behalf of the Somerly Primary School Board, I’d like to extend our sincere thanks and warm congratulations to all members of our school community as we come to the end of Term 1.

The board held its first meeting of the year on 14th March, where we welcomed the new school year, reaffirmed our commitment to supporting the strategic direction of the school, and discussed several key developments. Among them was the school’s adoption of the UFLI phonics and literacy program, a significant curriculum change that aims to strengthen literacy outcomes for all students. We also identified the need for a dedicated standing agenda item on reconciliation, which will now feature at each meeting to ensure ongoing attention to Indigenous cultural affairs and reconciliation matters. This change reflects our commitment to consulting meaningfully with the community and aligns with the Department of Education’s priorities of improving educational outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, fostering cultural integrity, and advancing reconciliation efforts. I was also honoured to be renominated as Board Chair for 2025, and we completed a range of standard procedural motions to ensure smooth governance for the year ahead.

This year marks a time of important transition for Somerly Primary School. Having navigated staff and leadership changes at the school, I want to acknowledge the professionalism, goodwill, and collective strength shown by our staff, students, and families throughout this time. The board recognises how much care and energy has gone into ensuring the term was a success, and we thank every member of our community for playing their part in supporting a stable and positive start to the year.

We also wish to express our continued gratitude to the P&C for their exceptional efforts this term. Their recent fundraising campaign has been an incredible achievement, and we’re all looking forward to the joyful celebration of the Colour Run taking place this week — an event that brings the whole school community together and reflects the wonderful spirit of Somerly Primary School.

I would like to take a moment to acknowledge the recent resignation of Kayleigh James from the School Board. Kayleigh has been a dedicated member for several years, offering thoughtful insights grounded in her experience as both a parent and a passionate advocate for the school. Her time on the board coincided with a number of significant changes, and her steady, considered contributions have been greatly valued in helping to support both the board and the school through these transitions. On behalf of the board and wider school community, I extend our sincere thanks to Kayleigh for her service and wish her all the very best for the future.

Looking ahead, one of the board’s key priorities this year is to support the development of the school’s next multi-year Business Plan, which we aim to complete by the end of 2025. This plan will help guide the continued growth and success of the school and ensure we are working together toward a strong and shared vision for the future. As part of this process, we warmly welcome all parents and community members to share their hopes and ambitions for the school — either to the school administration or to board members directly. Our highest priority is to ensure the school continues to reflect the values, aspirations, and unique character of its community, and your input is essential to shaping that vision.

As we head into the school holidays, I want to thank you once again for your support of our school. Wishing you all a safe and relaxing break, a joyful Easter, and we look forward to welcoming you back for Term 2.

Warm regards.

Harry Turnbull
School Board Chair

SaverPlus

Message from Ms Dee

Dear Somerly parents/carers,

It has been an absolute pleasure teaching your lively little musicians!  I have been given the opportunity to teach closer to home, so sadly, I will not be returning to Somerly Primary School after the holidays. But this is not goodbye! I will endeavour to keep up with all the musical successes, as your children have worked so very hard to be skilful listeners and music players. Please keep practicing with them, they have expressed to me many times how they love their parents/carers engaging in songs and music with them.

Ms Dee

Premier’s Reading Challenge

The 2025 Premier’s Reading Challenge will run from Monday 7^th April until Saturday 7^th June 2025.  More details to follow.

Cross Country Results

Congratulations to all our students who competed in the Cross Country on Friday the 4^th April! It was a challenging race in blustery conditions, but our students managed to push through and finish the course. The first five through in each race qualify for Interschool Cross Country which will be hosted by Quinns Rocks Primary School early in Term 2.

New School Office Hours

Our school office opening hours have changed.  We are now open from 8am to 3.30pm Monday to Friday.