Newsletter 8th September 2023

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Principal's Message...

As this is the last newsletter of Term 3 I would like to thank all staff, students, parents and family members for their continued support, hard work and engagement with regard to what happens every day at Kingsville. This partnership and working together on a daily basis contributes so much to the rich learning environment we have at KPS. I look forward to welcoming everyone back to begin Term 4 on Monday October 2nd.

Foundation 2024
Last call for Foundation Enrolments for 2024. There have been many reminders during this term to current families regarding the enrolment of younger siblings of current KPS students who are eligible and, are going to begin in Foundation in 2024.

If this applies to your family and you have not yet carried out the enrolment process, please make contact with the school immediately. This action should be seen now as needing to be carried out as a matter of urgency. School modelling and the planning and organisation for class groupings for 2024 is a priority and it is vital that numbers are known.

Enrolment for 2024 Foundation to year 6 indicates growth particularly at the Foundation level where there is an increase of 15 students for 2024 currently. Family meetings which have included the incoming Foundation students have taken place throughout term 3, and these once again have provided valuable and enriching engagements. The preschool students who will enter
Foundation in 2024 have along with their parents / guardians, certainly had plenty of questions and were eager to provide their thoughts on beginning school life. The signed artwork they completed during the family meetings is coming together in a wonderful Foundation 2024 collage in the corridor outside my office.


Parent / Caregiver/ Guardian Opinion Survey 2023
This survey closes today. It has been open for the period from the 7th August until the 8th September for those Parent / Caregiver/ Guardians, who were invited to participate being part of the 2023 list as determined by the random sample process.

There have been a number of Compass reminders during the survey period and I whilst -

  • we did not reach the hoped for 80% response rate
  • we did reach a 50% response rate

Thank you to those who took up the opportunity to complete the survey.

Kath Ginnane
Princpal



Assistant Principal's Messages

Student Placement for 2024

The process at Kingsville Primary School
The construction of new classes for any year is a dynamic and a designed process, which ensures that children are thought of both individually and collectively.  When we are working to compile class groups many factors are taken into account including; academic ability, individual needs, gender, student relationships, social and emotional traits, behaviour, working relationships, influences (the influence a child has on others, how others influence them) and, previous class placements/teachers etc. All these elements are considered in building the new “learning communities”, as we make decisions about what is in the best educational interests of all students. Throughout this process we approach the work from a point of view which has a focus on what each child can bring to a class as, we believe in creating diverse learning communities with a balance of skills, knowledge, learning styles, relationships (old and new), etc. across the groups.

As students at Kingsville progress from Foundation to Year 6, it is expected they will learn to work and relate to a range of teachers and students. As with all school decisions, the aim is to offer the best possible learning experience for all our children.

To manage the complexities of information considered when constructing new classes, the school uses a program called ‘Classroom Creator.’ Teachers are asked to input into the system information about each child in their current class across the ‘fields’ of academic ability, individual needs, gender, student relationship, social and emotional traits, behaviour, working relationships, etc. The classroom teacher is significant in this data input however; consultation and contributions are also sought from other members in the level, support staff, previous teachers, specialist teachers and leadership.

All the information entered by the staff into the variety of fields is then ‘crunched’ and the new classes are created. How the system manages and prioritises the data is in the coding. The new classes developed are a balance of all the information recorded across the different fields. As a result, not one single field dominates the other and so not all references can be achieved.

At the conclusion of this, the human factor takes over again, more time by staff (class teachers, support aides and specialists) and leadership is allocated to fine-tune the lists, review issues the system flags, and teachers notice. Manual changes and tweaking then occur. It is during this time that all involved in this process decide if what the system has produced is fair and, if things are changed or not accommodated there is insightful justification for this happening.

It is important to note that class groups are not allocated a teacher until the whole school class model is completed. This ensures that it is the dynamic of each group which is the focus rather than, a particular teacher. Therefore, parents /carers are asked to assist the process by not requesting a particular teacher.

This important element of school organisation begins soon. The role of student voice in the creating of learning environments will be explained in future newsletters.


Staffing Update:  PE Teacher
We are pleased to inform the community that after a lengthy process we have been successful in filling the vacancy for a Physical Education teacher. Glenn Garland was the successful applicant and will begin in the position next Monday.  Glenn has extensive experience in the teaching and learning of Physical Education, having worked in both independent and state government school settings.

Gaining applicants and being able to appoint an experienced PE teacher in the current climate of teacher shortage is testament to the high regard Kingsville is held in the education system of Victoria. 

I am sure that the community will make Glenn very welcome during his time at Kingsville.

Sun Hats
The Dress Code and uniform requirements are on the school website under Parents / Dress Code. Of particular importance at this time of the year are sun hats. At Kingsville it is compulsory to wear sun hats from September 1st through until April 30th which is in line with The Cancer Council Victoria’s Sun Smart Program. Students must wear either a navy legionnaire hat or a navy slouch hat as listed in the Dress Code and available from PSW. These hats should be in good condition and not tagged with symbols or graffiti. We ask that parents and carers check their child/rens hat to ensure they are suitable to wear at school.


Jeff McDonald
Assistant Principal / Welfare Coordinator



Celebrating Milestones – Kingsville’s PYP Birthday

Back in Ancient Rome, stone pillars called “obelisks” were placed alongside roadways to help travellers on their journey. These stones, set roughly a mile apart, each had a unique number, and marked the next leg or high point as people made their way around. These “milestones” served to celebrate and guide people through their travels and journey. Tomorrow, Saturday 9th September, Kingsville Primary School will celebrate another significant milestone – being 14 years since we were first authorised as an IB World School.

Back in 2009, Kingsville was one of only 45 authorised PYP (Primary Years Program) schools in Australia. Today, there are 215 authorised IB World Schools in Australia, many of them public schools, and across Victoria a strong network of authorised and candidate schools now exists

Uptake of the PYP and gaining IB authorisation then was early for KPS in the ‘PYP story’ in Victoria. We now have a sound reputation across the network as a school to visit to gain an understanding of the program, its impact upon teaching and learning and, the development of internationally minded students, which is at the heart of the IB philosophy. 

This “milestone” in our journey follows our IB Evaluation in 2022, a 5-yearly service provided by the IB to reflect on current strengths, areas for growth and compliance with IB requirements. As the Evaluation team described through the range of programme strengths identified ‘the concepts of community, diversity, inclusion and compassion (essential to nurturing, knowledgeable and caring young people) permeate and frame the work of all members of the school community’  

This feedback reinforces the amazing work of our students, staff and leaders, and as we continue to pass these significant “milestone” markers, we will continue to celebrate the work we do in developing internationally minded young students.

Samuel Eason
Assistant Principal



I CAN

Next term our school will commence a partnership with the I CAN Network. The I CAN Network is an organisation that provides a range of resources for Autistic people.

I CAN Network mentors will facilitate 8 one hour sessions here at KPS. The Primary School program is called the I CAN Imagination Club and session topics include:

  • Teamwork
  • Strengths and Interests
  • Communication
  • Wellbeing and Identity
  • Planning and Organising

The program is available to selected students who have an Autism diagnosis and, pending numbers, some students with Neurodiverse qualities. Information will be shared with these families shortly via Compass.

Further information about the I CAN Network can be found via the link below.

 I CAN Network – I CAN Network is Australia's largest provider of Autistic-led group mentoring programs, training and consultancy.


Leila Sheehan

Inclusion Leader



SCHOOL COUNCIL NEWS

KPS School Council Project Nominations

School Council is happy to have already received a number of project nominations to consider.

Reminder -

School Council invites the Kingsville Primary School community to nominate projects to enhance curriculum resources, health & wellbeing, buildings & grounds, or the school community to invest in.

  • Funding for these nominated projects will come from locally raised funds – fundraising.
  • Project nominations will be considered for implementation by School Council against the criteria outlined below.
  • School Council will determine approved projects.
  • Selected projects will be communicated to the community for celebration.
  • Nominated projects can be expected to be reviewed within two School Council meetings following submission

Where does this project nomination concept come from?

For some context, members of the school community of a government school may undertake fundraising activities for the following purposes with the agreement of the school council

  1. the establishment or augmentation of school funds
  2. the establishment or augmentation of funds for a particular school purpose in relation to the school

In line with the above in most schools, the funds raised through fundraising activities are utilized within the school yearly cash budget to support elements of a range of school programs. This has been the case at KPS for a considerable period of time.

For 2023, council has determined to use the money gained through fundraising to directly provide for projects nominated by members of our school community -   parent/carers, school staff and students. School council expects to raise around $40,000 each year.

Council sees this change as providing the opportunity for community to put forward ideas / projects, which may be able to be provided for by the fundraising dollars that the community works so hard to raise.

How do I share a project idea?

Hard copies of the nomination form are available at the school office. These can be completed and returned to the office.

A digital copy is available via the Compass post shared on Friday, 11th August, or by emailing the school office (kingsville.ps@education.vic.gov.au). These can be returned via the same email address or dropped directly into the office.

Any questions can be directed to the school office / kingsville.ps@education.vic.gov.au

We are seeking for the First Round of Submissions to be completed and sent in by Friday 15th September 2023


School Council Meetings – during the school year

At KPS in line with DE (Department of Education) regulations and, KPS School Council Standing Orders eight school council meetings are held each year.

The first meeting of the new school council always has two components.

Part A – for the election of office bearing roles      and

Part B – the first meeting of the new school council

In addition a Public Reporting Meeting is “called” by the school council once during the year. There is no required time for this to take place.

The reporting at this meeting is for and with respect to, the previous school council year.

So, in 2023 the PRM is only for the 2022 school council year.

The expectations for this meeting are set by the Department of Education and provide for–

  • the acknowlegement of membership and the work of the 2022 school council
  • reports given by both the Principal and School Council President
  • reports from convenors or members of subcomitees 2022
The PRM for the 2022 school year has now been called by the 2023 school council and will take place on Monday October 16th  6.30 – 7.00pm approximately.


New Piece of Play Equipment – Gaga Pit

The Building and Grounds subcommittee of the school council is please to inform the community that a new piece of play equipment will be installed over the break for the year 3-6’s.  The piece, a Gaga pit will be located beside the start of the running track on the large, turfed area bordered by the old cricket net fence.

Gaga is a fast-paced form of hand ball/dodge ball played in a purpose-built court.  Known by a few different names Gaga.  Gaga Ball and Ga-Ga, this form of dodgeball originated in Israel in the 1970’s and adopted heavily by the summer camps in the US.  It has spread the world from word of the positive experience of players and the evident social benefits.

A Gaga Pit is a ball court designed in a hexagonal or octagonal shape to contain the game of gaga.  It keeps the ball in play and allows the players to hit the ball off the walls to improve their chance of knocking a component out below the knee.

Players start in the Gaga Pit, an octagonal or hexagonal shaped pit or court.  The GaGa Ball is thrown up by one player in the middle, on first bounce everyone yells “Ga”, on the bounce everyone yells “GaGa” and rushes to the ball hitting or rolling it with their hand attempting to eliminate other players by connecting the ball with them below the waist.  When a player is hit below the waist they are out, but an evicted player can re-enter by catching a wayward ball on the sidelines.  This is a game of last person standing!

The House captains have worked to ensure that this new piece of play equipment is respected for its purpose unpacking what will make it a successful piece of equipment for students to engage in and how it can equitably be accessed by all year 3-6 students.  They shared with the school these expectations at this morning’s assembly.  They are also keen for the F-2 students to play in the space with their teacher’s guidance.

B&G subcommittee of school council



Young Dargie Exhibition of 2023

Extension to having your portrait into the competition.

You now have until the end of week 1 of next term to enter your portrait into the Young Dargie portrait competition.

Please note, this is a voluntary art activity for those who appreciate an art challenge.

The competition:

  • create your own 2-D portrait or self-portrait using any medium- paint, pencil, charcoal, crayon etc. or a combination
  • the portrait or self-portrait can be realistic or semi-realistic
  • the artwork could be a self-portrait, a portrait of a family member, a portrait of someone who inspires you, a portrait of a pet or a portrait of a teddy bear
  • the portrait must be completed and given to Visual Arts teacher Monica Gallivan by Friday 6th October, the end of week 1 term 4.

Once your artwork is finished, we request you bring it in to school and deliver it Monica by due date above who will store it in a safe place ready for our very own Young Dargie Exhibition.

These artworks will be featured in a small pop-up gallery at our bi-annual Kingsville Art Show, planned for Thursday November 2nd (term 4).

Monica Gallivan
Visual Arts Specialist










Introducing you...Global Citizenship Student Ambassadors

Who Are the Ambassadors?
The ambassadors are a group of seven students from 5CH who volunteered some of their school time to focus on improving the natural environment at KPS and surrounding areas. They consist of three classroom-based ambassadors (Violet F, Austin B, Aizah F) and four online ambassadors (Hazel M, Sophie McC, Willy H, Alice K). Pictures below.

What Are the Ambassadors Planning to Do?
The ambassadors have decided to focus in on the topic of water pollution, specifically in Cruikshank Park. They have an "action plan" of informing people of their project, then starting to organise clean-ups. While doing this, they also have their meetings with MEG, Going Global, the company that runs the ambassador program. In the MEG Global student ambassador meetings, the four online ambassadors meet with other schools and the Director of MEG, to share and explain their ideas in order to build a better school community.

What Happens in the Ambassador Meetings?
In the MEG Global Student Ambassador meetings, the four online ambassadors meet with other schools and the Director of MEG, Lottie, to share and explain their ideas in order to build a better school community.

Parents - What Can You Do to Get Involved?

  • Pick up rubbish whenever you see it
  • Talk to your children about the importance of taking care of the environment
  • Enjoy our amazing Cruickshank Park with your children!





Early Harvest 2023

That’s a wrap on Early Harvest 2023!
This year, our Level 5 and 6 students participated in the 100 Story Building’s Early Harvest Program. Running for over a decade, the Early Harvest program is Australia’s only creative project supporting primary students to write, edit and illustrate a professionally published book.

In Terms 1 and 2, students were supported in crafting a narrative that explored the theme of ‘escape’ and submitted it to the student publishing team. This team included four students from Kingsville Primary School: Luna B, Gauri G, Lucy B and Izzy G. Our wonderful publishing team made many important decisions about the book, including choosing the story theme and deciding on the title.

They also read 177 stories written by students from across six schools, and provided written feedback to the young writers that detailed what they liked about each story. A massive effort from our student publishing team!

Fifteen stories were selected by the publishing team to feature in this year’s Early Harvest Book: Write, Flight, Flee!

Congratulations to four students from Kingsville Primary School who can now claim to be published authors:

Levi G – author of the short story ‘The Dog Kidnapper’

Marlo C – author of the short story ‘Le Reveille’

Chloe Y – author of the short story ‘The Shadowed Stranger’

Sophie McC – author of the story ‘Blue Light’

On Saturday 28 October, a book launch party for Write, Flight, Flee will take place at the State Library of Victoria. We will have copies of the book to share with our Kingsville PS community later this year.

We encourage you to have a read!

Lauren Anile

6LA Classroom Teacher
Learning Specialist - Literacy

 



Last Day of Term 3 Activities - Friday 15th September

Casual Clothes Day – footy colours day!
Term three casual clothes day has traditionally been the day where children incorporate into the casual attire their favourite footy team’s colours due to AFLM finals series that is in action.

We encourage all children to come dressed in casual clothes and, in acknowledgment of the AFLM finals series, wear their favourite team’s colours (it does not have to be just Aussie rules!) on the last day of term 3, Friday 15th September. Gold coin donation.





Friends of KPS end of term celebration!

Come together and celebrate the end of term.

$1 Zooper Doopers on the deck at the bell 2.30pm

 



Kingsville Awards - 8th & 15th September

Please see below the list of children who will be presented with their award at the assembly on Friday 15th September.

FFW       Eddie R

FMC       Alyssa J

FRT        Musaf M

1/2C      Millie V

1/2M     Poppy P

1/2D     Eamon O'C and Quinn M

1/2A      Eva B

3/4L      Finlay A

3/4H     Jack McS

3/4F      Jaiden S

3/4I       Nicholas R & Indiana J

3/4S      Lachie B & Hudson M

3/4B      Tharun B

5DS       Marlie K & Trixie S

5AA       James C, Thomas G & Bastian B

5CH       Aizah F, Louie L & Nathan B

6JL        Ben M & Sydney B

6LA       Luna B, Robert D & Snithik M

Please see below the list of children who were presented with their award at assembly today, Friday 8th September.

FFW     Safiya I

FMC     Oslow E and Aiden V

FRT      Neave F and Aiden B

1/2C     Henry G

1/2E     Hannah S

1/2J      Archer McD

1/2M     Mavis D

1/2D     Devon H

1/2A     Stella McD

3/4L      Elke Y

3/4H     Niamh A

3/4F      Jessica E

3/4I      Ruby M and Clara G

3/4S     Ivy G and Deni S

3/4B     Maisie R

5DS      Kirah C

5CH      Mia K

6JL       Malakai G

6LA      Chloe Y

 



Happy Birthday - 2nd September - 15th September

Happy Birthday to Apteej Gill, Stephanie Stojcevski, Arlo Marks, Laura Hoang, Ben Elg, Eva, Krstevska, Beatrix Langtree, Henry Salmon, Phoenix Volpato, Estelle Harrison, Sarah Hart, Tharun Balu, Normandy Rose, Quinn Moberley, Luke Stewart, Sonny Fithall, Baradu Abdu, Kirubel Zeleke, Maggie Wilson, Flynn Blackley, Isaac Le, Khoa Matthews.



Dates to Remember - Term 3 & 4

SEPTEMBER 2023


 
Tue 12th SeptemberYear 6 Graduation Photo 
Fri 15th September


Last day of Term 3
2.30pm Dismissal
Casual Clothes Day - Footy Colours Theme
FOKPS Zooper Dooper Day
 
 

  
OCTOBER 2023

 
Mon 2nd OctoberFirst Day of Term 4
Wed 11th OctoberSmile Squad Evaluation Visit
Mon 16th OctoberSchool Council & Public Reporting Meeting
Thur 19th OctoberYear 1/2 Reptile Incursion
Mon 23rd OctoberFoundation Fire Ed


Camp Australia School - September Holiday Adventures

For school holiday adventures - click on the link below:

campaustralia.com.au/rocketeers