Junior School News
Jack Forbes
It has been an extraordinary start to the school year!
We got to meet the wonderful year 7 cohort, as well as new students in years 8 and 9, who we are more than pleased to have welcomed into our community. The start of the year can bring about unexpected changes for our young people, but throughout the term, the Junior School demonstrated resilience, adaptation, and perseverance both in and outside their learning.
Our Years 7-9 began with a week of Start Right, where they learned about interoception and regulation and created their Ready to Learn Plans. These Plans have been invaluable to staff working with our students to help identify and build capacity for successful teaching/learning and wellbeing.
Our junior cohort also partook in Restorative Journeys sessions with facilitator Kerrie Sellen. In these workshops, Kerrie provided a framework for restorative conversations among teaching staff, students, and the wider community. Our students were engaged and responded positively within each workshop. We look forward to welcoming Kerrie back in term 2!
Our learning journeys saw the year 8 Science class visit the Space Centre in Strathmore, while Media classes learned special effects for movie-making and how to make an advertisment. In English, we explored informative texts, learning how to analyse information and create our own texts. Then over in Maths, we learned how to apply our financial numeracy skills with wins, losses, and simple budgeting. In Health, students worked on their character strengths and implemented some of these characteristics within their Ready to Learn Plans. And in PE, we played team sports, such as t-ball, and swimming games at the newly built Kensington Recreation Centre.
Lastly, our fete was an undeniable success! I think it has been one of the most enriching experiences in my time here at KCHS. I say that earnestly, as while it was a massive undertaking, the payoff was immense, and our community was truly brought together to celebrate the achievements the entire school has been working towards. I cannot express enough gratitude and adulation to the teaching and support teams who championed our students to succeed – and to the families/caregivers who came to enjoy everything our young people had on offer!
That’s it for the Junior School. I hope you all have a safe holiday that is replenishing and rejuvenating. I look forward to working and learning with you all in term 2.
Jack Forbes,
Junior School Leader