Some words from the Principal

Time flies, and here we are, wrapping up Week 4 already! With a short term of 9 weeks it means we are nearly half way through Term 1!!!  The students and staff have seamlessly settled into the rhythm of the school year, blending in as if they've been here for ages. The smooth start continued with Year 6 enjoying a memorable camp in Phillip Island last week, and Year 5 is gearing up for an exciting city adventure next week.  Thank you to all staff that attend camps to make these memorable events happen for students.  We appreciate all the time away from your own families (and sleep) you give to make it possible!

Please also mark your calendars for the PEPS Maths Night (Tuesday 5th March 7:30pm) and RSVP through the link on Compass. https://forms.gle/Gwk6t3q61oFRiR5eA Your feedback matters, and this event is a direct response to parent voice. We are thrilled to continue partnering with you to enhance your children's numeracy skills. 

School Council

As you will have seen on Compass, School Council nominations are here again. I encourage you to nominate yourself or another community member if you are interested in representing the school families and assist in the constant improvement of our school. Council meetings are held eight times a year on Tuesday nights at 7pm.   Parents on school councils provide important viewpoints and have valuable skills that can help shape the direction of the school. One of the great things about our school is our strong parent input and involvement. Our School Council is one forum in which parents and staff work together for the benefit of all our students. At the beginning of each school year we have a number of vacancies for School Council. There are 5 x Parent member positions to fill this year. 

If you are interested in nominating, please collect a form from the school office or download one from Compass.  These must be lodged at the school office by 4pm Wednesday 28th February. 

KPA (Karoo Parents Association)

The Karoo Parents' Association (KPA) plays a crucial role in fostering a sense of community, connecting parents, and supporting the school council. The AGM was held at the end of last week and we now see the passing of the President Baton from Sarah Elliott to our new President for 2024, Rhi Fogal. 

I would like to give enormous and heartfelt thanks to our dedicated president, Sarah, who led with passion from 2020-2023 and has left a huge positive legacy with our school community. Sarah's commitment in building the KPA ensured a warm welcome for everyone.  As we express our extreme gratitude to Sarah, we eagerly welcome Rhi as our new President. Sarah's continued involvement will provide invaluable mentorship and support.  Together, with Rhi, I look forward to continuing to strengthen our community bonds, fostering collaboration, and continuing to create an inclusive environment for families. How fortunate we are to have such a vibrant school community and the KPA plays a huge role in that -  it's never too late to be involved. 

Getting to know you Interviews

Thank you to all of the families who came and met with the teachers at the Getting to Know You Interviews, either onsite or online. These meets are a valuable opportunity for teachers and parents to forge a great relationship to ensure that students achieve the best possible learning outcomes.  

Badge Presentation

The badge presentation ceremony on Monday was a heart warming celebration of leadership at our school, made even more special with so many families present.  They felt very proud to wear their badges and had their special photos taken yesterday.  I look forward to seeing the impact they will make to Karoo this year! 

Colour Run 2024  (repeat) 

We are excited to let you know that we will be running the 2024 Colour Run and not using an external company (who we then needed to give a % of raised funds to).   We are asking for prize donations to use for students who raise money for our next target. 

While the Colour Run promises to be an unforgettable experience, it is, above all, a fundraiser aimed at supporting the upgrading of our facilities. Your generous donations of prizes will go directly for the students, linked with their fundraising efforts. We believe that by coming together for this fun event, we can create a ripple effect of positive change in our community and continue to upgrade our facilities.

Now that the turf has been booked in to commence later this month and have raised the funds for this, we can turn our heads to the next target! Through student voice, we have identified the next major grounds upgrade to be resurfacing the end basketball court and transforming it into a Futsil (Soccer) pitch!   Our goal is to raise $20,000 to be able to begin to make this come to life!! 

More event and fundraising details to come but please contact me if you have anything that you are able to donate as prizes. Thankyou! 

School Financial Contributions

Amidst the continual rise in the cost of living, I want to express my sincere gratitude to our parent community for their dedicated commitment to making timely financial contributions. At School Council, we assess costs to establish the most cost-effective fee structure possible. This year, we're pleased to report that over 85% of families have either made upfront payments or committed to a payment plan.

It's important for everyone to recognise the crucial role that parent contributions play in enhancing the education provided to your children at Karoo Primary School. While government funding is received, it falls short at times in sustaining the high standards of practices and the optimal learning environment your children deserve.

To illustrate, the funds allocated for ground maintenance from the government do not cover even the basic expenses like regular mowing, let alone addressing issues such as turf replacement or upgrades, playground soft-fall improvements, and essential tree maintenance. We express our deep appreciation for the support through working bee attendance, grounds contributions, as well as contributions towards Literacy and Numeracy programs as well as our specialist programs like Science and Media. 

If you haven't made your contribution yet, we encourage you to contact the office to either make a full payment or discuss organising a payment plan. The set conservative contribution for 2024 is $275, equating to less than $1.35 per day—a reasonable investment in the continued excellence of our school. Your contributions, whether big or small, are genuinely valued and contribute significantly to our school community.

Staff Carpark

Karoo PS prioritises the safety of your children, so we kindly request that you refrain from using the staff carpark for drop-off or pick-up. The staff carpark is designated for our educators and poses potential risks to students crossing through the area. To ensure a secure environment, we encourage everyone to use the designated student drop-off zones on Karoo and Murrindal drive. Your cooperation in this matter is greatly appreciated, as it contributes to the overall safety of our school community. Thank you for your understanding and commitment to keeping our school a safe and welcoming place for all.

Have a wonderful week and I look forward to seeing you around the school. 

Danielle Heatley

Principal