Filter Content
- Principal Message
- Parking Reminder
- Library Book Stall – SSP Day
- Year 2B Assembly – A Wonderful Morning!
- Friends of St Simon Peter Committee Members Needed
- Can You Help Cover Some Books?
- Podcast - Dr. Justin Coulson's Happy Families
- Congratulations 3B on a Wonderful Assembly
- Attendance and Absence
- Vision for Learning
- SSP presents - An Evening with Karen Young –Supporting Big Feelings in Kids
- Come Play and Connect at SSP Playgroup
- WA Student Assistance Payment
- Parent TV - Building Resilience in Children

Lifelink Day 2025 – Pilgrims of Hope
Today, we will officially launch Lifelink Day 2025. Since its inception in 1999, the Lifelink Day Schools’ Initiative has helped students understand and support the Church’s mission to care for those in need within our community. This year, we are invited to celebrate ‘The Year of Jubilee’ and respond to the Church’s call to be Pilgrims of Hope.
As Archbishop Timothy Costelloe SDB reminds us:
“Let each of us choose to be Pilgrims of Hope for our brothers and sisters in need who reach out to us for help.”
This is a powerful message that we hope will inspire our students to act with compassion and generosity.
The Importance of Attendance
Regular school attendance plays a vital role in a child’s academic and social development. When students are frequently absent—even just one or two days each week—it becomes more difficult for them to keep up with routines, stay engaged in learning, and make steady progress.
While we understand that illness and other unavoidable circumstances can arise, we encourage families to support consistent attendance wherever possible. Being present at school gives students the best opportunity to grow, learn, and thrive. Attendance reports will soon be sent home, showing your child’s attendance percentage. Our shared goal is for all students to maintain an attendance rate between 90–100%.
Friday 30th May Professional Development Day
On Friday, our staff engaged in a valuable professional development session focused on differentiation in the classroom. Together, we explored and deepened our shared understanding of what differentiation is, why it matters, and how it can be effectively implemented. We identified four key areas where differentiation can occur and collaborated to design learning experiences that cater to the diverse needs of our students. As always, we remain committed to refining our teaching practices to ensure every student is supported and challenged in their learning journey.
Warm regards
Nicole Crosthwaite
Short Term Principal
We kindly ask all parents and visitors to avoid parking on the house verges along Yangala Close and Santiago Parkway, including the corner areas.
Additionally, please do not use the Prendiville Medical Centre parking bays, as these spaces are reserved for patients and may be needed in case of emergencies.
Thank you for your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and respectful environment for our community.
Read LessThe Library will be running a second-hand children’s book stall on SSP Day!
If you’re having a tidy-up at home and come across any children’s books you no longer need, we’d love to give them a new life in another child’s hands.
Donations can be dropped off at the Library anytime before Thursday 26 June, ahead of the big day.
Thank you, as always, for your generous support!
Read LessYear 2B Assembly – A Wonderful Morning!
The students impressed us all with their confidence, creativity, and enthusiasm – a true credit to themselves and their teachers
Your hard work and dedication have not gone unnoticed, and you should be very proud of your achievements.
Friends of St Simon Peter Committee Members Needed
Join Our Friends of St Simon Peter Committee!
Are you looking for a fun and meaningful way to get involved in our school community? The FSSP group is a great place to connect, contribute, and make a difference! We are currently looking for 4 new members to complete our committee. We meet once a term from 5.30-6.30pm. Whether you can spare a little time or a lot, your support helps create a vibrant and welcoming environment for our students and families.
Everyone is welcome—come along and see what we're all about tomorrow night.
Read LessCan You Help Cover Some Books?
We’re looking for families to help cover some of our new resource books for the library. It’s super easy, can be done from the comfort of your home, and best of all — all the time you spend counts towards our Lend A Hand program!
If you’re keen to help out, just get in touch with Helen or Chris in the Library:
Helen: Helen.boudewyns@cewa.edu.au
Chris: Christine.brien@cewa.edu.au
Thanks so much — we really appreciate your support in helping us get these great resources ready for our students!
Read LessPodcast - Dr. Justin Coulson's Happy Families
Dr. Justin Coulson's Happy Families podcast is a highly regarded resource for parents seeking practical, compassionate, and research-based advice on raising children. Co-hosted with his wife Kylie, the podcast offers daily episodes that are concise and filled with actionable tips, making it ideal for busy parents. Drawing from their experiences raising six daughters, Justin and Kylie provide relatable insights into the challenges and joys of family life.
The podcast covers a wide range of topics, including managing screen time, fostering resilience, improving communication, and navigating the complexities of modern parenting. Listeners appreciate the real-life examples and the emphasis on building strong, connected family relationships.
You can listen to Happy Families for free on various platforms:
Read LessCongratulations 3B on a Wonderful Assembly
Your hard work, creativity, and confidence truly shone through — it was a joy to watch.
We’re proud of your efforts and the positive example you set for our school community.
Keep up the great work!
ATTENDANCE
St Simon Peter Catholic Primary School is required to keep accurate attendance records for all its students. This includes taking attendance. Attendance records are to ensure students maintain the 90% attendance rate legally required for education and funding purposes. Attendance must be recorded by teaching staff at least twice per day.
LATE NOTES
Children arriving late to school (after 8.40am) must be accompanied by an adult to Reception (through Gate 7) to sign in via SEQTA Kiosk. The adult must then escort them to their class.
As part of school requirements around school attendance, three late arrivals within two weeks will result in the parent receiving a letter from the Principal requesting information explaining the ongoing late arrival.
STUDENTS LEAVING SCHOOL GROUNDS
Children who need to leave the school early to attend appointments must be collected by a parent or guardian, after receiving a printed Student Pass from Reception. This pass must be given to the classroom teacher. If the student is to return to school after their appointment, they must be brought back into Reception by the nominated parent or guardian. The student will need to be signed in via SEQTA Kiosk to receive another printed Student Pass which is to be given to their classroom teacher.
ABSENCE FROM SCHOOL
In the event of illness or absence, a parent or guardian must notify the school. This is a requirement for all schools, not just St Simon Peter. There are two options to enable this to be done (These are the preferred options as no further follow up is required). You may either:
- Submit an Absentee Notification via the Schoolzine App, by clicking the Absentee Notification button on the App and completing the form. This will generate an email to admin who will process the absence on the system and forward it to the teacher. There is no need to call the absentee line or send an email if a Schoolzine absentee notification has been submitted. This is the preferred option for informing the school of an absence; or
- Email the admin office at admin@ssp.wa.edu.au.Do not email or message the class teacher as these accounts are not always monitored, especially if staff are on leave or busy attending to class matters.
The Attendance Register will be checked by 9.00am each day.
If an absentee message is not received by the school, then you will receive an SMS (automated) asking you to contact the school to explain the absence.
This SMS message is important for two reasons:
- To “flag” the unexplained absence with you.
- To provide the opportunity for you to explain the absence.
Where no notification is provided and a follow-up SMS has been required, a note explaining the absence must be included. This is a requirement as part of attendance protocols for schools in Western Australia.
This note must include a reason for the absence, be signed and dated by the parent or guardian and handed to the classroom teacher, as soon as possible, after the absence (an email, containing the information listed above, from a parent’s nominated email will suffice in place of a written note or from a Schoolzine absentee notification).
EXTENDED ABSENCES (5 DAYS OR MORE) AND HOLIDAYS DURING SCHOOL TIME
If a parent or guardian wishes to take a child out of school for an extended period, both the class teacher and Principal are to be notified in writing well beforehand. These absences are recorded as long-term explained (unapproved) absences. A Leave of Absence Form must be completed which is available on the school website or from the Admin Office.
Teachers are not expected to prepare work for students taking holidays during school time. Parent requests for this will not be accepted. Extended absences during school time are not encouraged. The school requests parents/guardians complete a Leave of Absence form at least two weeks before your absence.
A Leave of Absence form is required for periods of absence of five days or more:
5 DAYS OR MORE LEAVE OF ABSENCE FORM
Read Less
SSP presents - An Evening with Karen Young –Supporting Big Feelings in Kids
An Evening with Karen Young – Supporting Big Feelings in Kids
Wednesday 18 June | 6:30 PM | SSP Hall
We’re excited to welcome Karen Young, founder of Hey Sigmund, for a special parent and educator event focused on helping young people manage big emotions and behaviours.
Karen will share practical strategies for:
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Responding calmly and effectively to emotional outbursts
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Supporting emotional regulation and healthy behaviour
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Setting boundaries with compassion
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Rebuilding connection after conflict
This session is perfect for anyone caring for or working with children. Don’t miss this valuable opportunity to learn how we can better support our kids' emotional wellbeing.
All welcome.
Read LessCome Play and Connect at SSP Playgroup
Looking for a warm and welcoming space where your little one can play while you connect with other families?
Join us every Friday from 8:45 AM – 10:30 AM for our Open Play Morning at SSP!
Everyone is welcome — you don’t need to be part of the SSP school community to attend.
It’s a great opportunity to meet new families, experience our nurturing environment and discover what makes SSP a special place to grow and learn.
Entry Information:
- After 9:00 AM, all visitors must enter through the Administration Office.
- All exits are to the right of the Administration Building - Maroon Button to release the gate.
No need to book — just come along!
We’d love to meet you!
Read LessThe government wish to inform our school community that the second round of the WA Student Assistance Payment will be available to eligible students across Western Australia from 28 April to 4 July 2025.
How to Claim:
Parents and carers are to apply for the payment via the ServiceWA App.
Eligibility:
The payment is available for all WA school students from Kindergarten to Year 12 with an active enrolment at a registered primary or secondary school. Eligible families may claim:
- $250 per secondary student
- $150 per primary student
- $150 per kindergarten student
Who can claim
The WA Student Assistance Payment can be claimed by:
- a primary care giver responsible for the eligible student
- a student aged 18 or over
- an independent minor, and
- a young carer under the Carers Recognition Act (2004) (WA).
Note:
- Independent minors and Young Carers need to claim using the paper claim form and make an appointment with their school for support to submit a claim.
Non-Eligible Students:
The following are not eligible for the payment:
- Students without an active enrolment at a WA school
- Children in kindergarten programs not delivered by a registered WA school
- Children in residential care, group foster care, or complex care arrangements (as defined by the Department of Communities)
- Students enrolled in pre-kindergarten programs in school or non-school settings
- Students with a Notice of Arrangement (NOA) or an exemption from full-time schooling
Accessing Your Child’s WASN Number:
As part of state requirements, parents may need to provide their child’s WA Student Number (WASN).
How to Find the WASN via SEQTA Engage (School Instruction)
Parents can easily access their child’s WASN through SEQTA Engage by following these steps:
- Log in to your SEQTA Engage account.
- Select your child’s name.
- Navigate to the Reports section.
- Open any recent report – the WASN will be listed near the top of the page.
If you have any trouble accessing SEQTA Engage or locating the report, please don’t hesitate to contact the school office for support.
Read LessParent TV - Building Resilience in Children
Resilience is the ability to bounce back from difficult or challenging situations. It is a quality that has long been valued and encouraged in children, as it helps them to overcome obstacles, build confidence, and develop a sense of self-reliance. However, in recent years, there has been growing concern about the declining resilience of children.
https://parenttv.com/blog/5-key-reasons-why-our-kids-no-longer-have-resilience
Below are the instructions about how to sign up:
It is very important that you go to the www.parenttv.com/membership page to sign up with the code: stsimon