As Acting Principal, I would like to take the opportunity in this first newsletter of 2024, to welcome all members of the school community once again, as we embark on a new year together.

As I shared in compass posts this week, we have had a great start to the school year, my congratulations to:

• all KPS students - Foundation to Year 6 for settling into all of their new learning environments so quickly
• KPS staff teaching, support, admin, and leadership for their energy to create a welcoming, safe and caring school environment
• KPS families- immediate and extended, who have supported the students and contributed greatly to a memorable start to the 2024 school year
• Tony (groundsman), Edd and Kevin (general maintenance) and the number of contractors who worked so diligently over January to ensure the school and grounds were ‘shipshape’ for the return of teachers and students.

The beginning of each school year is, I feel, a suitable time to reflect upon the early days of our school, so that we are all reminded, especially for new Kingsville parents, of the history of this amazing school.

Kingsville Primary School first opened the doors on August 1^st 1919. Over the years the “large red brick school” as it has often been referred to, has stood the test of time and its inhabitants have witnessed many changes in the decades since day one.  Back in 1919, the main building boasted eleven classrooms, a staffroom, one store room, an office and a foyer area.  A photograph of the time shows the significant two storey structure dominated the physical landscape of the area and even now, with built up housing and the adjacent large greenbelt, it can be seen from quite a distance.

Two hundred and eighty children were enrolled or taken in on the first day. All the records were entered by hand and a long line of prospective students so the history books tell us, stretched out the door and around the corner. Within a week another 59 students had been added to the school enrolment then, by the end of August the total was 387 and by December and the Christmas break 410 students. Obviously the word spread quickly right from those early days that Kingsville was a great school. Understanding where we have come from binds us all and creates an enduring connection.

Adding to this ongoing story, Graeme Hodgart, ex Kingsville teacher and ‘keeper’ of the history of Kingsville was in during the break helping me clean and sort through the ‘treasures’ piled up in the third story room in the main building. He found a paperback copy of The New Graded Word-Book for Australian Schools (Junior and Senior Classes) by W. Foster and H. Bryant. Amazingly, this book was still in print in May 2012 and is currently selling for $19.99. The copy that he found was inscribed 'David J. Matthews 5A'. A check of school records showed that David Joseph Matthews attended Kingsville State School from 1954 until 1959. In 1958 he was in Grade 5A. 

Graeme also shared with me news of a former teacher from Kingsville State School, Wilma Robarts. Wilma received an OAM (Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division) in the Australia Day 2024 Honours list. She taught at Kingsville from 1965 to 1967 and was given the award due to service to the community of Williamstown. Currently she is a member of the Heartsong Choir who meet and sing in Yarraville.

Now in 2024 there are of course many changes to school facilities and the school neighbourhood area. The core business of this historic school, however, remains the same being, the care of and education of the students.  We are fortunate that teachers, support staff and leadership are assisted in this work by an engaged and passionate community of currently 334 families. Within this we welcome 40 new families Our community embraces newcomers and is clearly supportive of all members. I personally know it also to be one which reaches out and demonstrates care and generosity not only to members of this community but, to others near and far. A clear connection to the ethos that we embrace by being an I.B World School

Now at this point in time, we should be collectively looking forward to a productive and meaningful school year. I invite all parents, carers, and family members to join with us as we move through the 2024 school life journey.

Jeff McDonald
Acting Principal

***This newsletter does contain many reminders. They are important in ensuring that we are working together in the interest of all those that make up the Kingsville Primary School community.

As you would be aware through the media, recruitment of teachers is a challenge. I would like to acknowledge the patience and understanding shown by families whose children have been impacted by our need to recruit to classes affected by the change to the school’s workforce.

The leadership team and teaching staff have shown adaptability, flexibility, and creativity to ensure that those classes who are impacted by this have high quality and consistent educators with them during this period. I thank all involved as we prioritise the students over other school matters.

The school will always provide information to parents/carers of those classes affected throughout the year about staffing changes – short term, longer term or permanent. Changes will be necessary in most years for some classes due to a range of reasons including approved planned leave, leave due to unforeseen circumstances and/or teachers gaining positions elsewhere.  Also, at times staff will resign, retire or, be absent for longer than expected periods of time.

Please be assured however, that the school will always communicate with parents and speak to students when there is a need for a change.

In follow up to the compass post Tuesday 30^th January

Kingsville Primary School: School Council - Are you interested?

School Councils play a key role in Victorian Government schools.

At Kingsville Primary School we have a long history of very successful and active governance teams who have helped establish the broad direction and vision for the school.

Successive councils have carried out their key roles effectively and in doing so enhanced the

Educational opportunities of our students over a long period of time.

2024 School Council Membership Vacancies  

The size and configuration of Kingsville Primary School, School Council is set down in its Constituting Order and is –

Parent members – 7

DE members –     4 (including the principal as Executive Officer)

Community member - 1

A total of 12 members.

For the 2024/2025 council year there will be -

 4 Parent vacancies

           and

 1 Teacher/DE vacancy

Nomination forms are available from the main office from Wednesday 31^st January. Nominations close Wednesday 7^th February at 4pm.

Parents/carers my choose from either a:

1. Nomination Form for Parent Member Category

OR

2. Self-Nomination Form for Parent Member Category

In line with DE requirements please see annual privacy reminder for school community. This is published to assure parents/guardians that the school is complying with the Privacy and Data Protection Act.

Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy (on DE website).

For more information about privacy, see: Schools’ privacy policy: information for parents

A reminder to students bringing Mobile phone or Cellular Connected Wearables (smart watches) to school.

Children’s safety is the first priority at Kingsville Primary School, and we acknowledge how important it is for parents to know that their child is safe, not only at school, but also when traveling to and from school.  Access to electronic communication is a facility some parents of Primary age children wish to provide so that children are able contact them if need be. On school grounds/during school hours, the use of personal electronic communication devices is not required or permitted. Parents and students can always communicate with each other through the front office when necessary.

Mobile phones and /or smart watch owned by students are brought to school at the owner’s risk like any other personal items. The Department’s “Personal Goods Policy”, states that private property brought to school by students is not insured by school or, covered by school insurance and is not the responsibility of the Department of Education or a school if that property is lost stolen or damaged. Consequently, DE Victoria advises parents/carers to consider obtaining appropriate insurance for phones and any other device that may connect to or, have a similar functionality to a mobile phone such as smart watches. 

If a family chooses to provide their child with a phone or smart watch to take to school, please note:

Reminder that students -

• take mobile phone and/or cellular connected smart watch to main office each morning (the goal would be before 9am)
• who wear wearables (smart watches) must have the cellular function turned off or restricted during school hours
• will be provided with an envelope with name tag and they will placed in the storage facility
• at the end of the school day, that is after 3.30pm, collect their phone and/or cellular connected smart watch from the front office

It is students’ responsibility to take mobile phones to the front office prior to 9.00am and collect them at the end of the day It is important to note that whilst the school provides secure storage it is the responsibility of the student to ensure they securely store their device as directed to do so. Teachers or other staff member do not store the phone for them.

As a government school, the practice at Kingsville complies with the Department of Education’s Mobile Phone Policy issued by the Minister for Education.  

We implement these policies for the safety and privacy rights of all students.

Our school embraces the benefits of technology and is committed to empowering our community to navigate the digital world. If your child already has a digital communication device or you are considering purchasing one, please consider reading the following articles published by the office of eSafety commissioner.

• Your child’s first smartphone
• Are they old enough - How to navigate key online milestones for your child

Kingsville Primary School eSMART Team

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) provides payments for eligible students to attend activities like:

• school camps or trips
• swimming and school-organised sports programs
• outdoor education programs
• excursions and incursions

Every Victorian child should have access to the world of learning opportunities that exist beyond the classroom. The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps ensure that no student will miss out on the opportunity to join their classmates for important, educational and fun activities. It is part of making Victoria the Education State and the Government’s commitment to breaking the link between a student’s background and their outcomes.

CAMPS, SPORTS & EXCURSIONS FUND (CSEF)

School camps provide children with inspiring experiences in the great outdoors. Excursions encourage a deeper understanding of how the world works while sports teach teamwork, discipline and leadership. All are a part of a healthy curriculum.

CSEF is provided by the Victorian Government to assist eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.

If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.

The annual CSEF amount per student is:

• $125 for primary school students
• $225 for secondary school students

HOW TO APPLY

New applicants should contact the school office to obtain a CSEF application form or download from the website below.

If you applied for CSEF at your child's school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.

You only need to complete an application form if any of the following changes have occurred:

• new student enrolments; your child has started or changed schools this year.
• changed family circumstances, such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing this year. Check with the school office if you are unsure

MORE INFORMATION For more information about CSEF visit: https://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/Pages/csef.aspx

Walking and riding bikes, skateboards or scooters to school is a healthy, popular and independent pursuit taken up by many in the Kingsville community.

Students, parents/carers and younger siblings are reminded to dismount before entering the school grounds and walk their wheeled mode of transport through the school grounds.

Drop-offs and pick-ups are busy times around the school and due to the school’s location, car congestion and other traffic problems and concerns make drop off and pick up a time that we need to think about and make decisions for the best interest of everyone.

While it may be hard at times to find a park close to the school, parking inappropriately or obscuring pedestrian crossings by parking on or near them creates an unsafe environment, not just for students at the school, but for all visitors to the school and the local community. All of which, pose a danger to the lives of students and even parents.

Parents and carers dropping off or picking up students are implored to think and drive in a manner which protects our students.

This is a timely reminder parents about taking extra care whilst driving in the vicinity of the school and while picking up or dropping off children.

Next week, KPS staff will engage in what is known as “planning week”.  This opportunity, held once a semester, allows teaching teams to collaboratively plan the teaching and learning experiences for the upcoming term and semester. 

Kingsville, through the PYP framework, utilises an inquiry-based, student-centred transdisciplinary curriculum framework that builds conceptual understanding. Through acknowledging and aiming to meet the diverse needs of the student – physically, socially, intellectually, emotionally – the programme aims to create learning that is engaging, relevant challenging and significant.  

Through the collaborative planning process, staff reflect on the teaching and learning program from previous years, curriculum documentation and draw on the student cohort’s interests, strengths and areas for growth, to develop and refine the teaching and learning experiences for Semester 1 and beyond. This “broad-stroke” planning maps the transdisciplinary themes, concepts and ideas to be explored throughout the semester, providing a framework staff as they engage in responsive, data-driven planning through the ongoing meeting cycle of professional learning communities (PLCs).  

Following planning week, the programme of inquiry will be finalised and shared with the community. This document captures the key concepts, issues and ideas that are explored across each level of the school and highlights the transdisciplinary nature of the teaching and learning at KPS. The programme of inquiry will be updated and shared with the community next week via the website. 

Levels will be planning as follows:

Monday - Specialist Team
Tuesday - Levels 5 & 6
Wednesday - Level 3/4
Thursday - Level 1/2 
Friday - Foundation

On Planning Day the level will be taught by Specialist teachers and members of the Leadership team.

Each day the school welcomes students into its ground from 8.45 am. This is the time that teachers take up supervision of the students. In support of families who need to have their children at school earlier, the school council engages Camp Australia to run a before school program. Additionally, the Sommerville gate is opened at 8.30am for those eager students, however entry at this time is not encouraged and for the few that do, it is with an understanding that any student that arrive before 8.45am MUST remain in the quiet play area until teachers come on duty.

Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education. Students learn new things at school every day –missing school puts them behind. Of course, we know that with all the best planning and intent there are times when being away is unavoidable, however these times should be few and far between.

Just as everyday counts, so does every minute. Congratulation to families and students who have begun the school year being on time, ready for the school day. Establishing these habits and routines early will ensure that lateness to school doesn’t have a negative impact on your child’s learning. For your child, arriving late to school occasionally won't cause major disruption. Inevitably, children will feel sick or tired some mornings, or other situations will prevent them from being on time. But chronic lateness eventually takes its toll on a child's overall educational experience.

The school day concludes at 3.30pm. The Somerville, Julian and Bishop Street gates are opened at 3.15pm so that parents/ carers have the opportunity to connect with others in the community while waiting for their child/children to be dismissed.

Teachers are on duty to supervise the yard until 3.45pm. The senior playground is a popular place for students to play from 3.30 - 3.45pm, however any students in Foundation, year one and two must be supervised by a parent/carer while playing on the three to six play equipment. At 3.45pm, those teachers on duty will ask everyone to leave the grounds so they can lock the gates. At this time teachers will collect any students still waiting for parents/carers and take them to the front office. For those occasions when you are running late for pick up, please call the office so we can support your child/children.  

We are very fortunate at Kingsville to have a lunch order opportunity for students each Wednesday. This is provided through the company Classroom Cuisine and this service is provided by the KPS School Council.

Parents who chose to take advantage of this do so by ordering online. Some families of course will have a permanent ongoing order in place. We ask that parents are aware of such ongoing bookings they have made and cancel the order if their child/children will not be at school on a particular Wednesday due to parent choice or an excursion that takes the children off-site for the day.

Lunch orders begin next Wednesday 7^th February.

Each year, Victorian government schools are allocated four student free days (when student instruction does not occur). These days are used for professional development, school planning and administration, curriculum development and student assessment and reporting.

KPS School Council approved the Student Free Days for 2024 last year.

The first day of Term 1 each year must be a student-free day in all government schools to allow for appropriate planning to take place for the arrival of students.

At Kingsville Primary School, this day saw all staff engaged in critical reflection and discussion on our 2024 Annual Implementation Plan, a document which outlines our goals, targets, and key improvement strategies for driving improvement over the course of this year. Staff also had the opportunity to working in collaboration with each other to engage with the planning for the ‘first fifteen days of school. This concept has a focus on getting to know the students, building relationship and school culture. Time is also given to organising learning spaces for the return of the students.

The following dates are pupil free days for the school:

Term 1 – Tuesday 12th March
Term 2 – Friday 7th June
Term 4 – Monday 18th November

The value derived from these opportunities can be seen in the high-quality planning and instruction that occurs in our classrooms on a daily basis.

2024 Student Free Days

Term 1 - Tuesday 12th March
Term 2 - Friday 7th June
Term 4 - Monday 18th November


2024 Term Dates

Term 1            Tuesday 30th January to Thursday 28th March
Term 2            Monday 15th April to Friday 28th June
Term 3            Monday 15th July to Friday 20th September
Term 4            Monday 7th October to Friday 20th December

It’s one of the biggest events on the Kingsville calendar and the perfect chance for families – new and old - to come together and have a great time!

Entertainment from

• Serge the Magician
• Glee West Choir
• Glee Kids Choir
• KPS Choir
• local KPS parent rock band, 12 Bar None
• and KPS parent, Katie Pryce
• With even more hit tunes curated by the Grade 6 students

This year we are making it bigger and better with kids activities more food and more fun! Including - Face painting by Camp Australia; Lob a Choc; and lots more.

We need you!
We need lots of volunteers to help with kids activities, BBQ, bar, staging, set up and clean up etc. to make the night a success so please keep an eye out for the volunteer sign up coming soon and put your name down for a short shift. It is a great way to meet other KPS parents and have some fun.

Tickets on sale soon and will be shared via Compass, Class Rep communications and KPS Parent Facebook page.