Good morning Parents and Caregivers,

Student Safety

From time to time, students have uncomfortable encounters with people they meet on the way to school. It is important for us to promote regular conversation with your child around student safety.

Walking to school offers children independence, physical activity, and a chance to connect with others in the Kensington community. However, ensuring children’s safety requires proactive conversations and strategies. Here's a few ideas for conversations with your children to guide them to walk safely and confidently to school.

Encourage your child to walk with a friend or in a group. This not only deters potential threats but also ensures that children can assist each other in difficult situations.
Encourage them to stick to familiar routes and use crossings for safety.
Teach your children to recognise and respond to uncomfortable situations, regardless of who is involved. They should trust their instincts and seek help from trusted adults when they feel uneasy. Ask them to share the names of people in their personal safety network; 2- 3 trusted adults from home, 2-3 trusted adults at school.
Create an environment where your child feels comfortable discussing their day, including any incidents that made them feel uneasy. Regular check-ins can help you address concerns promptly and reinforce safety practices.
Teach your child the importance of punctuality. Leaving home with ample time reduces the temptation to take risky shortcuts and ensures they arrive at school safely and on time. The safest time for arrival is from 8:30-8:50am when the yard is supervised.

There are some other great talking points available here.

Attendance

Every day counts! Children do better when they go to school all day, every day.

Hats

The UV has dropped to 2 so students have been told that they do not need to wear hats at this time.

Screen Time and Tech Neck

Tech neck symptoms including chronic neck, shoulder and upper back pain, headaches, and postural issues. Children are of concern due to the amount of screen time they participate in. The Australian Institute of Family Studies provides guidelines for parents to keep children active and minimise screen-time to avoid tech neck.

Guidelines for Screen Time

2 years and younger: no screen time
2-5 years: no more than one hour per day
5-17 years: no more than two hours of sedentary recreational screen time per day for children and young people (not including schoolwork).

This seems like a significant amount of time! Australian children spend more time on screens than is recommended with research suggesting that between 77-83% of preschoolers, 75% of 5-12 year olds and 64% of 12-13 year olds exceed recommended daily screentime guidelines. At HR, we are mindful of the impact that devices have on children and we limit time speciaically to learning purposes. Inform and Empower also reinforces the need for green time, rather than screen time. Devices are not used during breaks and phones are kept in the office during school time.

Student Free Day

Please be reminded that school is closed tomorrow. TeamKids will be open but all staff will be working at the Northern Region Office with Senior Manager, Sandra Ritchie.

National Reconciliation Week

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is held annually from 27 May to 3 June, marking two significant milestones in Australia's reconciliation journey: the 1967 Referendum and the 1992 Mabo decision. This week offers an opportunity for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

Bridging Now to Next is this year’s theme. It reflects the ongoing connection between past, present, and future, urging us to look ahead and continue the push forward as past lessons guide us.

This week we will engage students in activities that promote understanding and respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures. These activities aim to inspire our students to think about how they can contribute to a more united and respectful Australia.

For more information on National Reconciliation Week and how to get involved, visit Reconciliation Australia website.

National Excellence in Teaching Awards

Nominations are now open until 27 June for the 2025 National Excellence in Teaching Awards (NEiTA). Nominate one of our exceptional teachers for an award. For more information, visit NEiTA Guidelines and the NEiTA Nomination form.

Parent Workshops

We invite parents to join an engaging workshop aimed at strengthening the partnership between home and school while enhancing student learning, primarily in English and Mathematics.

In this session, we'll delve into various aspects of the school curriculum, teaching methodologies, and effective ways to support your child's educational journey at home. We'll demonstrate our approaches to teaching reading, writing (including spelling), and mathematics. You’ll easily be able to transfer what you learn to the home environment.

Expect an interactive and enjoyable experience as you engage with the content. At this stage, we're offering a session on Monday 2 June and Friday 6 June, from 9 am to 11 am in the staffroom. Participants are only required to enrol in one session.

While participation is optional, if you believe this workshop could benefit you, sign up using the provided Google Form. To ensure your full focus and maximise learning opportunities, kindly arrange for childcare during the session.

Numbers will be capped at 20 and this form will be closed when that number is reached. For any queries, feel free to reach out to Maria or Sarah. We look forward to your participation.

Prep Enrolments

We have been enjoying meeting our 2026 Preps. We thank those who have spread the word to families and friends. We have one vacancy for Wednesday’s tour so if you have interested friends or family, please ask them to phone the office to book.

With every blessing in the week ahead,

Christine

Think Pink - Dress Pink - Eat Pink!

Friday 30th May

This Friday 30th May, we invite all students and staff to take part in our Think Pink, Dress Pink, Eat Pink Day to raise funds for the Breast Cancer Foundation.

Come dressed in your best pink attire and enjoy a range of pink-themed treats on the day!

This special fundraiser was initiated by Wilma from 5/6 White, and we thank her for her initiative and compassion in supporting such an important cause. We also thank Sabrina Smith for organising the Pink food.

Please get behind this wonderful event and help us raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research and support. We can't wait to see a sea of pink across our school!

Donations welcome on the day!

Allison, Year 5/6 teacher