Principal
Aaron Cox
Principal
Dear Kingswood Families,
I wanted to reach out to you today with a communication that carries both seriousness and genuine pride — and I make no apology for sharing both in the same message.
A Sincere Thank You
To every parent and carer who has taken the time to send a message of support — for me personally and especially for our staff — thank you. More than you perhaps realise, those words have had impact. Our staff (teachers, education support, volunteers) have continued to show up every single day with professionalism and care for your children and to see that recognised by our community is deeply meaningful. On behalf of the entire team, Thank You.
On Holding Two Truths
I have had many conversations with parents over recent weeks and one theme keeps emerging: a kind of confusion or even guilt about having warm memories of someone, while simultaneously processing what we now know. I want to speak to that directly, because I think it matters. It is entirely possible — and in fact completely human — to hold two truths at the same time.
The first truth: a person can have been a dedicated, inspiring and genuinely loved teacher who shaped the lives of children in profoundly positive ways. The memories parents and children hold of joyful classrooms, of encouragement, of that particular teacher who made learning come alive — those memories are real. They happened. They are valid.
The second truth: that same person can have lived a second life, entirely separate from the classroom, that we find abhorrent. A life that we are still coming to understand and that stands in complete contradiction to everything we value.
These two truths are not the same thing. They do not cancel each other out. You are not required to choose between them and you are not disloyal to your children by acknowledging both. What we know is that human beings can exist in profound contradiction — and that the pain of this situation is, in part, rooted in that very contradiction.
Please be gentle with yourselves as you process this.
Psychological Support for Parents
I want to ensure that every family has access to appropriate support during this time. A separate communication has been distributed outlining the psychological support resources available to parents and carers thus far. Please look out for that information and please do not hesitate to reach out to the school directly if you need assistance navigating those options.
Now — and I mean this — please read on.
Kingswood Primary School: Finalists in the 2026 Australian Education Awards
I was absolutely delighted to share news last week that I believe every member of our community deserved to hear and to be proud of.
Kingswood Primary School was named a national finalist in two categories of the 2026 Australian Education Awards:
Primary School of the Year (Government) — recognising Kingswood as one of the finest government primary schools in the entire country
Primary School Teacher of the Year (Government) — recognising our own Leanne Taylor for her exceptional contribution to teaching.
The Australian Education Awards are the pinnacle of recognition in our profession. They draw entries from every state and territory and to be a finalist — let alone in two categories — is an extraordinary achievement.
To be clear about what this means: schools and educators from across Australia were nominated and assessed. Kingswood and Leanne, stood out amongst all of them.
This recognition is not mine, and it is not Leanne's alone. It belongs to every teacher, every support staff member, every student and every family who has contributed to making this school what it is. It is a reflection of a community that believes deeply in the value of learning — one that embodies our school value of Lead the Way, inspiring others to dream, learn, do and achieve more.
Please hold your heads very high. You have every reason to.
Camps — Year 5 Cave Hill Creek and Year 6 Canberra
Both our Year 5 and Year 6 students have now returned from their respective camps and both were genuinely wonderful experiences.
Year 5's adventure at Cave Hill Creek delivered exactly what a great camp should: outdoor challenges, shared laughter and the particular magic that happens when children discover what they are capable of away from the familiar comforts of home and classroom.
Year 6's Canberra camp deserves a special mention all of its own. The weather on the first couple of days had other ideas — as Canberra in autumn often does — but our team took it completely in their stride. The itinerary was adapted quickly to make the most of outstanding indoor activities and when the sun finally arrived, we were straight back outside making up for lost time. By any measure, it was an enormous success.
I also want to make particular mention of the staff members who stepped in at short notice to ensure our students had everything they needed while away. That kind of commitment, showing up without fanfare, simply because children needed them to does not go unnoticed. I am deeply grateful to them.
Students have come home with stories, laughter and memories that will stay with them. The kind that get retold at family dinners for years and eventually at school reunions.
Kingswood is A Place to Shine: giving our students the space to discover what they are truly capable of when the classroom walls are behind them. I couldn't be prouder of every one of them.
Advocating for Kingswood — Principals' Conference
I am writing part of this communication from the 2026 Government Principals' Conference, which I have been attending the past few days. But if I'm being honest with you, attending sessions is not my primary focus while I'm here.
My priority has been connections. Specifically, conversations with the people who are closest to positions of decision-making — the people who have the capacity to advocate for and direct support toward schools like ours.
I have had the opportunity to speak directly with the Minister for Education, Ben Carroll MP, as well as a number of other leaders, about the supports and resources that Kingswood needs as we look ahead. I am always careful not to overpromise. I have been around long enough to know that conference conversations do not always translate into Monday morning outcomes, but I want you to know that I am making our case directly, confidently and with genuine care and compassion.
Our School Council President is aware of these conversations and the advocacy I’m pursuing on behalf of our community.
Kingswood is not a school that sits and waits for support to arrive. We go out and make the case for it. That is what I intend to keep doing and it reflects our school value of Connected to Community: engaging actively with the world around us in the interests of our students and families.
Investing in Our People — Curriculum Day, Wednesday 24 June
As communicated previously, Wednesday 24 June is a curriculum (pupil-free) day. I want to take a moment to speak plainly about what that day is for:
Our staff are, without question, remarkable people. Every day, they walk through the gates of this school with warmth, energy and an unwavering commitment to your children. What I also know, because I work alongside them and because I talk with them, is that beneath that professionalism, many of our staff are carrying a significant emotional weight. They are human beings navigating a period that has tested them in ways that are not always visible from the outside. They wear their professional faces with pride, because they know our children need consistency and calm and they deliver that, every single day. It would be a failure of leadership on my part not to respond to that.
On 24 June, our entire staff will spend the day working with two of the most highly regarded psychologists in their field: David Younger and Dr. Rob Gordon. These are the same professionals who have been facilitating the after-school wellbeing sessions available to both staff and parents. We are enormously fortunate to have access to their expertise at this level and I am genuinely grateful for the opportunity.
I want to acknowledge directly: 24 June is not our preferred date. We worked hard to find an alternative, but the professional commitments of these two specialists made it impossible to secure any other time that worked. I do not apologise for prioritising it as our students are best served by adults who are well-supported, resilient and able to bring their best selves to the classroom. This is an investment in that.
The precise structure of the day is still being finalised. I am also exploring whether a parent session could be offered as part of that day. If there is sufficient demand from our community, I will work to make it happen. If you would be interested in attending a parent session with these specialists on that day, I encourage you to let us know. If the numbers support it, we will do our best to make it available.
This reflects, at its core, our school value of Thrive in a Team Culture: supporting one another, all of us, so that we can do our best work for the young people in our care.
As always, my door is open. I am grateful, as I always am, for the partnership we share with you in educating your children.