Parents of Year 6 (only) are warmly invited to attend the Badge Ceremony for our Year 6 Leaders.
Wednesday 2nd March at 2:00pm
Please sign in at the front office, wear a mask, and practice social distancing.
Welcome to our Week 5 Newsletter
While on my visits to classrooms, I can see a real sense of settling into school and returning to the routines and rhythms of school life. However, the teachers and myself are noticing some changes in children as the term wears on and the summer heat continues. Circumstances where, for example, a student is having trouble bouncing back from disappointment, or is unwilling to accept help. In some situations, students are continuing to make poor choices, not following classroom rules, and even in some cases there is an open defiance to get their own way. This is mostly being experienced in our K-3 students as they transition back to school behaviours.
We are also seeing that now that families are able to be out and about, weekends are very full with travel, visits, and activities which are leaving students exhausted for Monday and the week ahead.
We are working on resilience and persistence with our students and looking for opportunities to build these. We ask for parents’ assistance at home in reminding children to ensure that they are bouncing back from disappointment, acknowledging that not everything may go their way – but to keep trying.
Pushing through the momentary discomfort of challenge, allows growth and achievement.
ZONE SWIMMING
As this Newsletter goes to print, our KSPS students are representing our school at the Newcastle City Zone PSSA Swimming carnival at Lambton pool. Congratulations to all students who attended the carnival today. More information to come on the results of the carnival. The swimmers are:
BOYS: Nixon, Jackson HS, Finn O’B, Quinn, Marcus, Spencer T, Jai, Gabe, Flynn, Noah, Billy
GIRLS: Zahli, Bronte, Chilli, Maya, Sophia HS, Ava, Ashely, Emily C, Ruby O’B, Ellie, Tahlia, Kiera, Orla
READ, READ, READ!
Can I remind all parents that whilst there is no formalised homework for students, that we encourage children to read each night to their parents, to a sibling, or quietly to themselves. This continued practice and rehearsal of reading strategies promotes confidence and ability. We recommend stage 1 children read for no longer than 15 minutes, stage 2 children for 25 minutes and stage 3 children for 30 minutes. There is of course the continued encouragement to read to your child when you are able to. There is nothing more comforting than snuggling, reading, and listening to a book with a loved one.
ASSEMBLIES
I would like to remind parents that even though we are not having face to face assemblies each week in the hall as yet, we are still holding assemblies each Friday at midday. This webinar presentation goes for no longer than 30 minutes and often includes important information for both parents and students. You are warmly invited to attend our virtual assembly this Friday from midday. You will need an active Zoom account to access the webinar. The link is:
SCHOOL PHOTOS
Coming up on Thursday 10th March are our whole school photos. We ask parents to ensure your child is present on the day to mark this special occasion. Unless of course they are sick. The School Photographer has specific envelopes that will be sent home on 1st March. Please fill these in after purchasing your photo package online. Do not return the envelope until photo day please.
ROAD SAFETY
Over the past fortnight, I have had situations of dangerous driving and parking reported to me and I have also personally witnessed them myself. On one such occasion, a parent parked within the school crossing zone, called her child across the crossing to get in the car and then did a U-turn, turning back over the crossing to go in the opposite direction. Almost every single afternoon, parents and teachers report speeding in the 40km school zone, parents pulling up double-parking and calling their child across the road and other various dangerous activities. We have also had reports of students running down the access lane hill towards Moruya Parade and running straight out onto the road. On some occasions, I am sent photographs or videos of these events. Please know I am lawfully bound to pass these onto the Police for further action. Road safety is everyone's responsibility. As the adults, both staff and parents need to always display safe and lawful driving and parking.
HATS
Every day your child needs a hat to play and be part of PE and sport lessons. Hats are part of our school uniform. If your child does not have a hat, please order one today, via our KSPS P&C online store. These links can be found on their P&C Facebook page. Labelling your child's hat with their name and class helps to have it returned to them if they lose it. For this fortnight, all staff are ensuring each child in their class wears a hat to play before school, at lunch and recess. The KSPS P&C online shop can be found here.
STUDENT PARLIAMENT
Today is our first Student Parliament for 2022. Thank you to our leadership team and Parliamentary Minsters for their establishment work they have already done across the school. We look forward to a year of student action. More information to come.
PARENT/TEACHER INTERVIEWS
This year, we will be hosting our Parent/Teacher Interviews in Term 1 across the weeks of 9 and 10 this term. The bookings will be available via the Sentral Parent Portal, this is the web-based online platform where you receive your child's Student Reports. Booking sessions will open at 6pm on Sunday 13th March and close at 5pm on Friday 18th March. We encourage all parents to take the opportunity to be part of the interview process. At this stage we are planning face to face in the hope that the current situation of coming onto grounds for reporting and curriculum purposes will still be available to us. Smaller adult numbers spread across the school, mask wearing and ventilation will allow for the face to face interviews to take place. The interviews take place over weeks 9 and 10 of the fortnight Monday 21 March, finishing 1st April. We will host one late afternoon Tuesday 22 March until 5:30pm. In other circumstances, phone interviews are also possible if you make direct contact with your child's teacher.
As we move into the middle of term one, I encourage parents to keep developing consistent and purposeful routines with their children at home. Make bedtimes and eating well a priority. Rest and good fuel = great learning.
Thanks for making #KSPSagreatpalcetobe
Sue Maxworthy | Principal
