Welcome Back!
Seeing all the smiling faces on the first day back at school was an excellent start to the year! The infectious laughter and chatter of the children is once again filling the playgrounds and classrooms, and the 2023 school year has begun!
We have lots of new families joining the Quintilian community this year, 26 in total, bringing 33 new students to our beautiful school. I hope they have had a fabulous first week, and I am sure they will have received the wonderfully warm welcome I have had in my first few days.
As well as new families, we also have some new staff. We extend a very warm welcome to Christie Gaus, who is new to Year 3, Galina Aladko our new music teacher and welcome Christine Sardi to her new role within the school as a pre-primary teacher. Mandy Simmons has returned from maternity leave and works in the Year 4 classroom on Mondays.
As you know, I am also new to the school and have had an incredibly busy first week. Those marvellous impressions I had of the school during my first visit have multiplied as the days have progressed! The school community: staff, students, and parents, have all made me feel very welcome.
The first term is jam-packed with lots of excellent learning planned. Year 6 have already begun their surfing sessions, which have been a great hit with the students! There is a focus on outdoor learning in the Early Years, and an outdoor classroom will take place weekly. Watch the Pre-primary corridor pinboards for weekly updates. We have also recently purchased a new Mathematics resource for the Early Years called Bond Blocks, which assists children with their skills and understanding in counting, adding and subtracting. Further updates will follow in the coming weeks.
Continuing on the subject of Mathematics, I am delighted to inform you that Quintilian has been recognised as one of only two schools in Western Australia to gain a Silver Maths Active award for the 2023 school year. This is attributed to the Maths team’s work in 2022, spearheaded by Chris, our Year 6 teacher. One of the many activities held was a Maths Day for year 3-6 students. Well done to all who actively assisted with achieving this accolade for the school!
The year’s first event is the Welcome Back Picnic on the school lawns on Friday at 3:15pm. I am very much looking forward to meeting many parents at this event which is an opportunity for parents to catch up with old friends and welcome new families.
Over the summer holidays, the school has undergone cleaning and maintenance. There have been several large-scale maintenance requirements undertaken. I thank the team responsible for the maintenance of the school for all the hard work in ensuring we were ready for the first day!
Before I close, I would like to acknowledge the previous principal Neil who has led the school for many years. Neil leaves Quintilian in a very good position, obtaining a five-year re-registration for the school, which is the maximum number of years that can be afforded to any school. I have the utmost respect for Neil, having worked with him many years ago, and I wish him all the best in his retirement. We hope to see him visit the school occasionally!
Finally, I want to thank the staff for their support over the past two weeks. We have a team of exceptional teachers here at Quintilian. A personal thank you to Deputy Principal Rebecca Potts, who has already become my invaluable colleague. With her years of experience at Quintilian, I am incredibly grateful to be guided by her knowledge and insight.
I have met many of you over the last few days and hope to meet many more at the picnic on Friday. I am also hosting an informal coffee catch-up with parents of Years 3 to Year 6 on Thursday, 9th March and parents of Pre-Kindergarten to Year 2 on Tuesday, 14th March. Parents wishing to attend can arrive at reception by 9am.
See you Friday!
Warm regards, Principal Julie
