Assistant Principal
Tracy Skiba
Assistant Principal
As we come to the end of the 2019 schooling year I would like to acknowledge the tireless effort, passion and dedication of our staff. They ensure that we are here for our amazing students and supportive community in every way.
As I come to the end of my first year as Assistant Principal I would like to share what I believe have been just some of the many highlights of joining the Kingswood Primary School community.
It has been a pleasure to be part of a school that upholds the notion of thriving in a team culture. To be part of a staff who is committed to improving their practice as educators and being continuously open to learning has filled me with optimism for our education system. This passion and commitment was very evident in our weekly whole staff professional learning afternoons and curriculum days.
Our celebration of Education Week was held on a very cold evening early in the year. Despite the chill in the air, our families visited the classrooms and got to learn about how careers have, and will change, in years to come. It was a great opportunity to meet many members of our school community via the fun passport activity led by our Wellbeing Sub-Committee.
Camps and excursions were a huge highlight in the school calendar. The Prep breakfast, skilfully coordinated by our very enthusiastic and caring prep team, to the senior camps and tours to Somers, Sovereign Hill and Japan show our staff and parent community support for these initiatives. These opportunities ensure that our children are exposed to a range of experiences outside their usual comfort zones and lifestyles. The opportunity to be part of both 5/6 tours to Sovereign Hill demonstrated to me just how respectful and full of enthusiasm for learning our senior students are. We should all be very proud of the citizens they have become.
The inaugural Kingswood Primary School Literacy Festival showcased our community’s passion for reading. Book Week celebrated this love of reading with students and staff wearing interesting and creative costumes for the junior and senior parades. The KPS Reading challenge highlighted the students’ thoughtful responses to literature in all forms and was a great opportunity for children to explore new reading themes. The class winners of the reading challenge, 4S, greatly appreciated the afternoon tea hosted by Mr Cox and myself.
Writing was also celebrated throughout the festival. Our very able writers representing Prep to Year Six had the opportunity to participate in the first Kingston Writing Festival held at Beaumaris Secondary College. Our Year Five and Six students also had the opportunity to improve their writing craft with a visit to the Melbourne Writer’s Festival.
Transition processes at Kingswood also highlight the notion that we are here for the students and are connected to community. Our Year Six students have been well prepared to undertake the challenge of change when moving into their new school settings via a range of activities and initiatives. Such activities have included mock secondary school days to Student Support Group meetings with local schools. Our 2020 Prep transition has included one to one interviews with children and their families, prep transition sessions, and parent information courses culminating in a very well received, “Meet the Teacher” evening. The whole school transition day was a very calm and orderly event. The staff worked tirelessly behind the scenes to ensure that children were best placed with teachers and peers who would bring out their potential both academically and from a wellbeing point of view. No easy feat by any means.
The vast array of events happening throughout the school in the last term enabled our students a place to shine. The amazing junior concert was a testament to the children’s ability to learn new things such as songs and dances. To think that this was coordinated in just five weeks and led by Mrs Narelle Vella, with the support of staff and parent volunteers is truly astonishing. The resilience of the students and staff were both highlighted as the children also participated in Prep-1 swimming lessons during this busy time.
To conclude the year the Twilight Carols brought the Kingswood school community and local groups together for an evening of celebration. A lovely way for families to bond and enjoy these moments together as the year comes to a close.
On that note, I would like to thank you all for welcoming me into your community and wish everyone a safe and happy holiday. I look forward to seeing all our students return refreshed and ready to take on new challenges in the new decade.