Dear families,

A huge thank you to everyone who provided us with feedback via the survey link from the last newsletter. It is important to me that we keep the lines on communication open as we strive for continual school improvement.

Some great questions were raised, and I have done my best to answer them below. If you need anything further, please always reach out!

Questions from Survey - 

Would the school consider partnering with some local run sports groups to run after school sports programs or music, etc on school grounds as an alternative to after school care?

Definitely - if they were available. The hiring of the school facilities afterhours is a School Council agreement, so would be open to exploring this further.

Could you please share the evidence behind streaming the phonics?

Streaming phonics allows for differentiated instruction, meeting students at their point of need. By grouping learners based on their phonics proficiency, we can tailor lessons to target specific gaps or strengths. This personalised approach ensures that each student receives appropriate support, enhancing their literacy skills more effectively. This is not to say that this will always be our approach. We are trialling a range of different methods to see what gives us the most impact on student learning growth as we learn about the opportunities within the SoundsWrite program.

Regarding the STEM fundraiser- is there likely to be a similar focus on the arts and humanities resources?

STEM is a brand-new specialist subject this year, therefore we are starting the program from scratch. Whilst we have a 5-year plan for the development of this area, having the Colour Run fundraiser dedicated to STEM has meant that we are at least 2 years ahead of our planned development – which is great for the students that may have missed certain aspects when they have graduated out of KPS.

Being an PYP school, all transdisciplinary subjects are very important in the development of our learners. Teacher’s feedback is constantly sought for the resourcing of their programs with every intention of getting the program what it needs to be amazing!

Can you please let us know the approx. cost for camps coming up later in the year so we can start saving, even if just a ballpark figure? It would be helpful.

We are in full swing of camp organisation as I type! Ball park figure may end up being close to $400. We will let families know as soon as we are able.

What is the process for high school selection, both in and out of zone?

This is always a hot topic of conversation at this time of year. High school selection has a few parts…High schools will have a rough indication of how many students they are able to accept in a school year. For this example – let’s say that they can accommodate 160 students. Filling those places then goes like this -

*Enrolment acceptance is guaranteed if you reside within the neighbourhood zoning. If the enrolment applications are less than the 160 students, places will be filtered as below -

*Any further places will then go to siblings of students already enrolled

*Any further places from there will then go the closest students by address as the crow flies

I hope this makes sense! Please come in and see me if you need any help.

Do you have any structured play opportunities during lunch times?

We sure do! Most lunch times have clubs running that all students are welcome to attend. They range from a yoga club to gardening, drawing and hang time. Announcements are made at 2pm letting students know which clubs are on. There are also some posters around the school with the schedules.

What is the best avenue to feedback to the school on general school issues (not teacher/student issues) - should everything go to Emma? What is the mechanism to feedback to parent council - could there be an email / contact details we can write to our representatives to ensure they are raising our concerns - right now I do not know how to do this.

General school issues are best directed straight to leadership – me, Jeff for Gabe. We can be contacted via email, or you are very welcome to make an appointment to come in and see us by contacting the general office.

The role of school council is predominantly to:

• assist in the efficient governance of the school
• ensure that its decisions affecting students of the school are made having regard, as a primary consideration, to the best interest of the students
• enhance the educational opportunities of students at the school
• ensure the school and the council complies with any requirements of the Education and Training Reform Act, the Education and Training Reform Regulations, a Ministerial Order or a direction, guideline or policy issued under the Education and Training Reform Act.

Therefore, general concerns are better directed straight to leadership.  

How much information about our child's academic progress will we receive?

In 2025 we have introduced a Continuous Reporting system. Whist we are having a slow start as we get used to the system, next term will see more regular communication and feedback. You will receive an email when there is feedback available to be viewed and we anticipate this to be roughly once per fortnight.

Do all kids attend stem class or just 3-6? I’m confused by my prep’s answer on this. Also, will the school plan to eventually have an Auslan teacher to complement video instruction?

They sure do! The foundation students may just see it as a fun hour.

We are unfortunately amid an extreme teacher shortage. I feel very lucky this year that we have managed to obtain a full staffing quota for our classrooms, knowing that there are some schools out there who are still trying to fill vacancies. Our intention is to have a dedicated language teacher and will be actively seeking this for the 2026 school year.

Again, I can’t express how grateful I feel to be a part of this wonderful school community and can’t wait to see what the rest of the school year has in store for us!

Emma

I am sure everyone is all over this by now – but don’t forget our hat parade next Friday Morning. Details below. There will also be a coffee van on site from 9am to get your fix ahead of seeing all the wonderful creations!

Parade Details 

Date:               Friday April 4

Time:              9:15 – 10:30 approximately

Location:        in the Monday morning assembly area in front of the deck

Audience:      parents, grandparents, family and friends

The Smile Squad team from Cohealth are coming to our school soon.

Smile Squad is the Victorian Government free school dental program. Any Student enrolled in a Victorian Government PS are eligible.  No need a healthcare card, Medicare card or the CDBS.

This means all students can get a free dental check-up, preventive services, and treatment at school Annually.

Smile Squad Communication Toolkit Click Here

How to access free dental care

We need your consent before we can provide services. Consent is usually provided by a parent or guardian.

Sign up to Smile Squad at: https://bit.ly/smilesquadvic

OR use the below QR code:

 Please complete and submit the consent form by 25/04/2025.

The electronic consent form can be translated into more than 100 languages, and the paper form is available in 13 languages.

Do I need to attend my child’s appointment?

No, you do not need to attend your child’s appointment. You can attend if you would like to, and you can take your child to the community dental clinic if you prefer.

The Cohealth Smile Squad look forward to seeing you soon.

Over this term staff have been working with Carla and the leadership team to clearly map and communicate our behaviour support strategies. This year, we’re consolidating our focus toward repairing relationships and building stronger connections rather than simply correcting behaviour. Our goal is to create a positive, supportive environment where all students can learn, grow, and thrive—both academically and socially.

What does this mean?

We believe that when students make mistakes or face challenges in behaviour, it’s an opportunity for growth. Rather than focusing solely on consequences, we want to help students understand their actions, make amends, and rebuild trust with those around them. Our strategies focus on restoring relationships, helping students reflect on their choices, and supporting them in making better decisions in the future.

How Does It Work?

• Talking it Through: When a student faces a challenging situation, teachers and staff will work with the student to talk about what happened. We encourage open conversations where students can share their feelings and thoughts.

• Building Connections: After discussing the situation, we’ll help the student understand how their actions may have affected others. Together, we’ll come up with ways to repair the relationship—whether it’s a heartfelt apology, making it right, or simply offering kindness.

• Learning from the Experience: Our goal isn’t to just fix the problem in the moment but to help students learn how to handle similar situations better in the future. We’ll focus on teaching important social-emotional skills like empathy, communication, and problem-solving.

• Support and Encouragement: We’ll be there every step of the way, providing encouragement and support to help students grow. Everyone deserves a chance to make things right, and we’re here to guide them through the process. It also important for students to know that they can expect a consistent response form the adults supporting them, no matter which class they are in.

How Can You Help?

Families play an important role in this process. You can support this initiative by having conversations with your child about making good choices, taking responsibility, and the importance of kindness and understanding. When we work together, we can create a stronger, more connected school community.

Please find our Kingsville Behaviour Response  on our website. Thank you for being part of our journey in creating a caring and respectful school environment for all.

As we continue to prioritise the safety of our students, we kindly ask for your help in ensuring everyone stays safe around our busy school streets. With so many students coming and going, it’s important that we all work together to create a safe environment.

Please remember to use designated crossings when walking or driving near the school. These crossings are there to help everyone stay safe by guiding pedestrians and drivers. We also encourage you to remind your child to look both ways and wait for the signal before crossing, whether they are with an adult or crossing on their own. It is also important that students walk their bikes or scooters across the roads.

Additionally, please make sure to only park in designated parking spots. Parking in marked areas helps to keep traffic flowing smoothly and ensures everyone’s safety, including pedestrians and other drivers.

Let’s all continue to be extra careful, stay aware of traffic, and help keep our community safe. Thank you for your continued support in making our school a safe place for everyone!

We are excited to share the incredible success of our Colour Run, which was held in celebration of Harmony Day! The event was a true reflection of our school community’s spirit, bringing everyone together for a fun-filled day full of energy, smiles, and unity.

The atmosphere was absolutely fantastic, with students, staff, and families all joining in to celebrate diversity and promote harmony within our school. It was a joy to see everyone covered in vibrant colours, creating lasting memories and showing support for such a wonderful cause.

A Big Thank You!

Thanks to your amazing support, we raised an incredible $32,170.25! We are awaiting the final payout figure for the school, but we’re thrilled with how much we’ve raised. This fundraising effort is a huge step forward in supporting our STEM program, and it puts us well ahead of our predicted timeline. We’re excited to see the positive impact this funding will have on enhancing our students' learning experiences and providing them with more opportunities to explore science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Thank you to everyone who participated, volunteered, and contributed to making the Colour Run a huge success. The event wouldn’t have been possible without the support of our amazing school community. We look forward to the continued growth of our programs and the exciting opportunities ahead!

On the 17^th of March the 2025 School Council met for the first time as our new council. In the first meeting of each council, the previous Executive is spilled and a new Executive is elected. I am thrilled to announce this year executive as below:

President – Chris Kennett

Vice President – David Hickey

Treasurer – Jill Hale

What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity is a term used to describe the natural variation in our brains. All brains are different and while most brains are considered neurotypical some brains are neurodivergent. This includes people with ADHD, autism and dyslexia just to name a few!

Last week was Neurodiversity Celebration Week. At KPS we strive to acknowledge the strengths and talents of all our students and Neurodiversity Celebration Week is a time to raise awareness of the strengths within the neurodivergent community. At school, Leila our Inclusion leader, spoke to our grade 5 and 6 students about neurodiversity and what this may look like in the school and wider community.

Better informed, more accepting school communities can help make school experiences more positive for everyone.

Foundation Families

Flinders University are conducting a study on letter-sound knowledge in 4-6 year olds. Participation in the study gains free access to ReadingDoctor letter-sound activities (a great evidence-based resource) something for our Foundation families and carers to consider. More information can be found here: https://www.readingdoctor.com.au/flinders-university-lettersound-knowledge-study-2025-enrol

Autism awareness

April 2^nd is recognised internationally as World Autism Awareness Day and April is often referred to as Autism Awareness month. I have included a helpful infographic created by the team at Onwards and Upwards Psychology below.

Roster for Assembly Items – Term 1

Friday 4th April - No Assembly - early finish

Term Dates 2025

Term 1 - Thursday 30th January - Friday 4th April
Term 2 - Tuesday 22nd April - Fri 4th July 
Term 3 - Monday 21st July - Friday 19th September
Term 4 - Monday 6th October - Friday 19th December