Principal's report 

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung People of the Kulin nation; past, present and those who will walk with us into the future.

We acknowledge the rich and unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas, educational practices and the hopes of all First Nations Peoples. We do this in the spirit of reconciliation as we move to a place of justice and partnership - together we work, learn, play and care for one another and this land.

Supporting the Well-being of students

As we start a new school year, I want to take a moment to emphasise the importance of supporting children's well-being. Children's well-being is critical to their academic success and overall development. A child who is healthy, happy, and feels safe and supported is more likely to thrive in school and beyond.

At our school, we recognize that well-being is multifaceted, and we strive to support all aspects of well-being, including physical, emotional, social, and academic well-being. Here are some of the strategies we use to support well-being:

1. Creating a safe and supportive environment: Our school is committed to creating a safe and inclusive environment where all students feel valued and respected.
2. Fostering positive relationships: We encourage positive relationships among students, between students and teachers, and between school staff and families.
3. Encouraging physical activity and healthy eating: We provide opportunities for physical activity during recess and encourage healthy eating habits.
4. Promoting emotional intelligence: We help students develop emotional intelligence by teaching them to identify and regulate their emotions, empathize with others, and communicate effectively.
5. Providing academic support: We offer academic support, such as tutoring or extra help sessions, to help reduce academic stress and anxiety.
6. Encouraging mindfulness practices: We encourage mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing and meditation, to help students manage stress and improve their focus and concentration.

We believe that supporting children's well-being requires a collaborative effort between teachers, staff, parents, and students themselves. We encourage you to support your child's well-being at home by providing healthy meals, encouraging physical activity, fostering positive relationships, and promoting emotional intelligence.

We are committed to providing a safe and supportive environment where all students can thrive. We look forward to working together with you to support your child's well-being and academic success.

This article above has some great ideas about supporting well-being, however, it was actually written by ChatGPT, an Artificial Intelligence Chatbot. I simply asked it to 'write me a school newsletter article about well-being'. 

For anyone reading school newsletters, school assignments, press releases or chatting online with a company, it can be virtually impossible to tell what is really written by someone or created by technology.

The implications of Artificial Intelligence for education and the workplace our children will go into are immense and complicated. I am certainly no expert on the matter, however, it makes me ponder how we can best support our children to be prepared for a world that can change at such an accelerated rate.

Ensuring we can protect our children from issues such as job displacement, privacy implications, accessibility issues, and the impact on their well-being posed by such technology is a huge task. 

There is also massive potential for incredibly fast-paced scientific breakthroughs, and medical cures, and the world may become more accessible for people with disabilities.

As a school leader, I have always thought deeply about preparing kids for an unknown workplace of the future. This future is coming at us really quickly, and I know at Kalinda that we have a staff who are all committed to being adaptive and helping our students develop the skills they need. These include:

• Fostering creativity and innovation
• Having a growth mindset
• Developing critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Building skills in collaboration and teamwork
• Developing technical skills
• Appreciating nature, and human connections and stepping away from technology regularly

Enrolling for 2024

From the beginning of Term 2, we are able to accept enrolments for 2024 Foundation students. 

School Tours are open now. Tours can be booked via this link

Host Families needed for 2023

We are still looking for host families for our Japanese intern, Minori Ichihashi. If interested in being a Host Family please complete the form below and send it to our International Intern Co-ordinator, Cheryl Henry-Wild as soon as possible. 

Cheryl.henry-wild@education.vic.gov.au

Shaun McClare,

Principal 

Kalinda Primary School

We are kind. We are resilient. We are respectful.