A quote that has always really stuck with me is one by Ralph Nader that says, ‘The function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers.’ This past fortnight has shown me that, at Kingsville Primary School, our student leaders can rise to any occasion.

I have had the pleasure of witnessing the capacity of our four captains Willy, Louie, Eloise and Alice on two ‘big stage’ events over the past two weeks. The first being the ANZAC Day commemorative ceremony which was led entirely by the leadership group (with thanks to Mike for his guidance) and demonstrated their maturity, cooperation and ability to capture the audience as they spoke clearly and with purpose.  Contributions by senior students reading the poem, ‘In Flanders Fields’ by John McCrae and singing the song ‘Lest We Forget’ by Michael Reynolds, were also great examples of the student groups taking on a significant piece of action. As a granddaughter of a WW2 Veteran, it was hard to hold back the tears at times, particularly during the beautiful poem reading where the whole school held up poppies, emulating Flanders’ Field. 

Straight off the back of the ANZAC ceremony, I threw the captains into hosting our 2025 Foundation Information session. Their main role was to lead our audience through a series of PowerPoints, however, we then thought that prospective families might like to hear what KPS is like through the eyes of the leaners. I asked our leaders if they would be able to write a short paragraph about a special memory that they have of the school. Without prompting, they began to negotiate what they would write about to give families a ‘balanced’ view of what the school is like! Even though I have only been a part of the KPS community for a short period of time, I watched our leaders with pride as they confidently spoke about what makes Kingsville-  Kingsville!

And so many other things…

The 3 – 6 cross country event was an absolute highlight for me this fortnight. The weather was stunning, and spirits were high! What struck me most was how willing the students were to get in there and give it a go. Running this distance is not for everyone – but you would not have known that at our cross country. I would like to extend a big thank you to Lorey for all of her organisation for this event, to the teachers for making sure everything went smoothly and to the parents who gave up their time to make the run an absolute success – especially those who ran with the children and took the warm ups – huge respect!

I also managed to worm my way into attending the farm with the 1 / 2 students on Tuesday. We had a great day out in the fresh air, exploring different farm animals and the resources they provide us with. For no other reason than how cute it is – here is a picture of me with a new friend I made!

Emma Vasilevski

Acting Principal

An information evening for prospective Foundation families was held on Tuesday night in the school hall. We had a wonderful turn out and were hopefully able to showcase all of the wonderful opportunities that KPS offers.

Thank you to the members of Leadership, school captains and Foundation teachers who came together and ensured a memorable evening. If you know any families who may be interested in attending one of our school tours, please ask them to make contact with the general office. Enrolments are now open for 2025 and forms can be submitted to the office at any time.

Tour dates:

• Monday 14^th May – 9.30am
• Tuesday 21^st May -9.30am
• Wednesday 29^th May – 9.30am
• Tuesday 4^th June – 9.30am
• Thursday 13^th May – 9.30am

Kingsville Working Bee

Saturday 1^st June, 9a.m. – 12noon.

Our rescheduled working bee has been set for Saturday 1^st June. All our working bees are open to the whole school community, Foundation to year 6. We are hoping for a big and varied turnout from our families. This is a great opportunity to help contribute to the grounds maintenance and development, plus catch up and meet other parents. Working bees are also highly popular with the kids as they help out or spend a bit of free time on the oval or playgrounds.

Tasks include:

• garden maintenance – kitchen garden and school gardens
• planting
• mulching (a wheel barrow and shovel from home)
• grounds maintenance

Please ensure

• you and any children are wearing suitable closed in shoes
• gloves are worn
• children are supervised by parents

Entry will be through the double gates to the hall on Bishop Street. All parents who are volunteering on the day must report to the check in table that will be situated just outside the door of the 5/6 classrooms.  Please read the information set up on the board and sign in on arrival and out on departure.

RESPONSES REQUIRED

To assist the Buildings and Grounds sub committee to organise this event please respond by Wednesday 29^th May. 

Responses can be sent:

• to the school email kingsville.ps@education.vic.gov.au please ensure you put “Working Bee’ in the subject line and indicate in the body of the email your Family name, Eldest child’s name, and the number of family members attending the working bee
• by clicking on the link and complete the form https://forms.office.com/r/JVTXHCi4s2

This week has been an enriching and invigorating time for our staff as we delved into various professional learning experiences aimed at enhancing our teaching practices and fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

Year 3-6 Teachers Dive into Lesson Study of SMART Spelling

One of the highlights of this week's staff professional learning was the collaboration among our Year 3-6 teachers as they engaged in a lesson study focused on SMART Spelling. Through this process, our educators worked together to explore innovative teaching strategies, share insights, and refine their approaches to spelling instruction. The lesson study model allowed teachers to plan an introductory, explicit teaching lesson, watch it being taught and reflecting on how effective this was, provide constructive feedback, and collectively brainstorm ways to enhance student learning outcomes in spelling.

In addition to the lesson study, our Year 3-6 teachers were also released to complete online learning modules on SMART Spelling, further deepening their understanding of effective instructional practices in this critical area of literacy development.

Peer Observations in Level Foundation to 2 Classes: Focusing on Sounds-Write

Meanwhile, our Level Foundation to 2 teachers engaged in peer observations with a specific focus on Sounds-Write, an integral component of our literacy curriculum. This structured approach to phonics instruction emphasises the relationship between sounds and letters, laying a strong foundation for reading and writing proficiency. During the peer observations, teachers had the opportunity to observe how their colleagues effectively implement Sounds-Write strategies in the classroom, including phonemic awareness activities, blending and segmenting exercises, and multisensory learning experiences. By observing and reflecting on each other's instructional practices, our educators continue to refine their skills in delivering targeted and differentiated phonics instruction tailored to meet the diverse needs of our young learners. This collaborative approach ensures that our students receive high-quality literacy instruction that equips them with the essential skills for reading and writing success.

Whole Staff Engagement with Real Schools' Daniel Vella

Finally, on Thursday staff had the privilege of engaging with Daniel Vella from Real Schools as part of our 3-year partnership, who provided dynamic sessions on positive priming, circle architecture, and affective interactions and statements. Daniel's expertise in these areas offered valuable insights into fostering a positive and inclusive school culture where every student feels valued, supported, and empowered to succeed. Daniel modelled lessons throughout the day in classrooms from Foundation to Year 6, working with staff to ensure the focus of his work was targeted to student and teacher need. His sessions inspired our staff to implement practical strategies to create a nurturing learning environment where students thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.

As we conclude this huge week of professional learning, we are energised and excited to apply the knowledge and strategies gained to our classrooms, ensuring that every student at Kingsville Primary School receives a high-quality education that prepares them for success in school and beyond.

Last night Daniel presented to the community, outlining the partnership Kingsville has with Real Schools and the work that all of us, students, staff, and parents/cares have in implementing Restorative Practices as a key methodology of our School Culture. Thank you to those parents and cares who tuned in last night. For those that missed this session the school will provide in the coming weeks a parent/carers presentation from Daniel to view at their own leisure

Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in our ongoing mission to provide excellence in education.

Sam Eason

Education Week is an annual celebration of education in Victoria.

In 2024, Victoria will celebrate Education Week from Monday 13 May to Friday 17 May. This year's theme, Spotlight on STEM, highlights the importance of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) in our everyday lives, in the classroom and beyond

Through the teaching and learning at Kingsville Primary School, we continually develop our students to be active learners, and this year’s Education Week offers a great opportunity to share this with you.

During the week, levels will share with the whole community the examples of learning experiences that spotlight the teaching and learning of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics at the school. We look forward to an engaging week.

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Our Inclusion and Wellbeing team are seeking an Occupational Therapist and a Speech pathologist to join our staff. We currently have two positions advertised on Recruitment Online and ask you, the wonderful community, to please help spread the word far and wide to assist us in finding the right people. Links to the job descriptions for external applicants are below.

Occupational Therapist

https://edupay.eduweb.vic.gov.au/psc/EDUPPRD1_EA/APPLICANT/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=1&JobOpeningId=1413362&PostingSeq=1

Speech Pathologist

https://edupay.eduweb.vic.gov.au/psc/EDUPPRD1_EA/APPLICANT/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=1&JobOpeningId=1413365&PostingSeq=1

We ask you to share this information with suitably qualified people who may be interested with working in a school setting.

Together we can achieve amazing things!

Leila Sheehan

Inclusion Leader

Please see below the list of children who will be presented with their award at assembly on Friday 10th May. 

FRT     Jona M-N

1/2H    Julian M

1/2M    Alyssa J

3/4S    Eleanor E

3/4H    Jaiden S

3/4F     Sarah H

3/4I     Hazel F

5SP      Maisie W & Louie C  

Please see below the list of children who were presented with their award at assembly today, Friday 3rd May.

FFW -Yonatan Z

FRT - Astrid P.

FMJ - Milijana T

1/2 M - Avery T

 3/4H - Eliza D

3/4F - Matilda E

3/4I - Hannah S.

3/4A - Lucinda N

5CH - Scarlett P

6AW – Erica H

6EH – Sophie McC

Happy Birthday  

27^th April – 10^th May

Happy Birthday to Ted P, Harvey W, Darcy F, Sonny Cadd, Olive F, Athur M, Millie S, Hugh B, Molly M, Olivia Z, Oscar M, George M, Zane R, Felix F-M.