A word from the Principal

Mrs Danielle Heatley

2023 PLANNING

As the year and term are coming to an end, I would like to let you know of a few opportunities and changes that are occurring at KPS next year. 

 

As mentioned earlier, it is with great excitement that we are introducing Media and Technologies to the specialist program for the whole school. This means that students will now access the following specialist subjects throughout the year:

Foundation - Year 2Year 3 - 6
  1. Physical Education - all year
  2. Mandarin - all year
  3. Media / Digi Tech  - all year
  4. Performing Arts / Music - all year
  5. Visual Arts - all year
  1. Physical Education - all year
  2. Mandarin - all year
  3. Media / Digi Tech  - all year
  4. Performing Arts / Music - one semester
  5. Visual Arts - one semester
  6. Science - all year

Other 2023 opportunities .....

Born to Soar

Born to Soar – Gifted Talented Education are offering Karoo PS the opportunity to bring together in one learning space, like-minded students, from many parts of Melbourne. The Born to Soar fast-paced extension and enrichment program aligned to the Australian Curriculum, will complement our work in engaging and growing your child’s learning potential.  Born To Soar will further enhance the skills of our staff with Professional Learning in working with highly able and gifted students. This partnership will contribute to the social and emotional wellbeing of your child whilst supporting their cognitive curiosity through strategies in thinking and problem solving. This collaborative initiative will commence in Term Two 2023 and continue throughout the year. Interested parents can attend an information night to be held in Term One 2023.

https://borntosoar.com.au/

Please email karoo.ps@education.vic.gov.au with the subject heading 'Born to Soar' if you would like further information this year. 

Timetable and breaks

We will be moving the break times during the day to facilitate and maximise the  learning opportunities in the morning when we know students work best.  There is also a lot of research that talks about fueling the body with a substantial meal earlier in the day to ensure we fill up on the right foods before snacking later in the day. 

We will begin the day at 9am and have 3 learning sessions. Classes will ensure  during these sessions that there are brain breaks at 9:50am and 10:40am. This will be an opportunity for students to eat some healthy food to fuel their brain.  Brain food is fruit and vegetables in natures wrapping (eg apple, bananas, strawberries, snow peas, cucumbers etc). Lunch eating will then be 11:30am-11:40am in the classroom where students will eat their main meal and then have a break outside until 12:20pm.  This will follow with 2 learning sessions and then students will have an afternoon break from 2:00pm - 2:40pm.  Students will then have 1 afternoon learning session before finishing at 3:30pm. 

2023 CLASSES and STEP UP DAY

In 2023 we anticipate a whole school enrolment of 449 students. We will have 21 classes with an average of 21 students in each across the school (5 lower that the DET recommendation of 26). Our F- 2 have an average of 19 (3 lower than the DET suggested average of 22). 

 

The class composition will be as follows:

Year Level

Number of Classes

Foundation

3 classes - average of 17 per class 

One

3 classes – average of 21 per class

Two

3 classes – average of 19 per class

Three

3 classes – average of 22 per class

Four

3 classes – average of 21 per class

Five

3 classes – average of 26 per class

Six

3 classes – average of 22 per class

As previously mentioned, the 2023 KPS STEP UP days will be held on Thursday 8th  and Tuesday 13th December 2022. Thursday 8th December will be when the whole class will visit the  following year level classrooms and hear from the level teachers.  They will hear all about the special events and the exciting things to look forward to in 2023.  Tuesday 13th Dececember will be the day students find out their allocated classes, classrooms and teachers for next year. Family class placement requests have now closed and staff are busily working on arrangements for 2023, ensuring the successful transition of every student.   Please refer to the social story we used with all students in the previous newsletter for further detail about the process. 

 

I look forward to sharing the staff movements with you in the next newsletter. 

Have a wonderful week,

Danielle Heatley

Principal