Principal's Message to the School Community
Dear KPS Community,
I’m writing to let you know that our highly valued Learning Specialist and Mental Health & Wellbeing Leader, Michelle Thompson, will be moving on from Kyneton Primary School at the end of Term 3. She will be taking up an exciting new Learning Specialist opportunity at a school in Ballarat, starting in Term 4, with a focus on wellbeing.
After ten years of outstanding service to our school community, Michelle leaves behind an incredible legacy. Her leadership, dedication, and unwavering passion for student wellbeing have made a lasting impact on staff, students, and families alike. She has been a true pillar of our school, and her leadership and relationship-building skills will be deeply missed by all of us.
Michelle’s move marks a significant next step in her leadership journey, with further opportunities likely in the near future. The new role also brings her closer to home, giving her more time with her family – something we all know is incredibly important.
While we are thrilled for her and fully support this next chapter, there is no doubt that her departure will leave an enormous hole in our school community. Her warmth, care, professionalism, and expertise have shaped so much of what we do here, and we are all better educators for having worked alongside her.
Michelle and I have met several times this week to discuss how we will communicate this news to the wider school community and to work through the logistics of covering this important role for the remainder of the year. I will communicate further once a decision has been made. As we all know, change in a school setting can have a wide-reaching impact.
Please join me in congratulating Michelle on this exciting new role and thanking her for a decade of exceptional service to Kyneton Primary School. She will be greatly missed, and we wish her nothing but success and happiness in the future.
School Camp News
Our Year 2 students have made a wonderful start to our school’s camping program with their recent overnight stay at Lake Dewar. For many, it was their very first camp experience, and they embraced the adventure with enthusiasm, teamwork, and plenty of smiles. Camps provide such valuable opportunities for children to build independence, develop resilience, strengthen friendships, and enjoy learning outside the classroom. We are so proud of how confidently our Year 2s began this important journey.
Looking ahead, our older students are eagerly anticipating their own camp experiences. Year 6 are counting down to their Melbourne Urban Camp in Week 3 next term, where they’ll explore the city, deepen their learning, and celebrate their final year together. Year 4 are also excited for their camp at Cave Hill Creek in Week 9 next term, where outdoor activities and teamwork will again be the focus.
The School Council is currently reflecting on our camping program and is keen to hear from families. A short survey will be circulated soon to gather your thoughts, so please take the time to share your views. Your feedback will help shape the future of camps at our school.
As we reach the end of the term, we would like to thank all families for your ongoing support and partnership. We wish everyone a safe and restful break, and we look forward to an exciting Term 4 filled with learning, adventure, and community spirit.
Alistair Rayner
Principal
School Council President’s Report – August meeting
Dear KPS Community,
Following our August School Council Meeting, please find some updates below.
Principal’s Report
Mr Rayner provided an update on recent recognition from our Senior Education Improvement Leader (SEIL) and through the Differentiated Performance Method of the strong progress our students are making in reading and numeracy. Our SEIL also noted the wellbeing focus at KPS. It’s encouraging to see our school not only improving outcomes but also being acknowledged for the depth of work in this space.
Staff are engaging in inquiry projects with the new High Impact Wellbeing Strategies, and the leadership team is reviewing and refining our instructional model to ensure it aligns with the updated Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 framework. Recent and upcoming staff professional learning has focused on coaching for our middle leaders and strengthening staff understanding of neurodiversity.
Prep enrolments for 2026 currently sit at 41, with hopes of reaching 44, which is a positive result given local enrolment trends.
The contributions Threshold made during the early stages of the school production were acknowledged. Miss Polly has done a wonderful job bringing the production together, supported by several dedicated staff who have contributed their creativity and energy. Working closely with our talented students, this incredible team has brought the production to life, and the performances on 4 September promise to be a memorable celebration for our whole school community.
Finance
The Department Strategic Financial Management Advisor met with the leadership team to review the school’s financial position. The projected 2025 deficit is estimated at approximately $170,000 by year-end, which is an improvement on what was previously forecast. A decision will be made early next year about whether to cover the deficit by reducing Term 3 and Term 4 grants in 2026, or to pursue a Deficit Recovery arrangement, repaying the shortfall over a number of years.
We also noted the generous $1,000 donation from Kyneton Rotary Club to be used for garden materials in the Mobok garden.
Parents & Friends (P&F) Committee
As always, our passionate P&F has been busy with a range of activities. Parent volunteers are assisting with logistics for the school production and have been busy sourcing gifts for the Father/Carers Day stall on 5 September. The date for the mid-October trivia night will be announced once the venue is confirmed. Planning has also begun for a raffle, and stall options for the Daffodil Festival were discussed. A date for the end-of-year community celebration will be confirmed soon, and a community fair was raised as a possible future event, which would require broader parent involvement to bring it to life.
The P&F is also considering ways to improve attendance and productivity at working bees. On the funding side, current P&F funds need to be allocated, and an email will be sent to specialist teachers to invite any wish-list requests for support.
Grounds and Facilities
Planning is progressing well for the new Mobok garden area between the kindergarten and Studio 4, which will provide a flexible outdoor space for learning and play. Thank you to the staff who have provided feedback on these plans.
The recent working bee achieved a lot, with a small but dedicated group of families helping improve the grounds. We encourage more families to come along to the next working bee on Sunday 26 October. It’s a great way to meet others and contribute to our school environment.
Sustainability
A special thanks to Duncan and Adrian for repairing the irrigation system, which will be tested in the lead-up to summer to ensure the gardens are well-prepared for the hotter months. We’re also very fortunate to have Mary, a passionate local community volunteer, joining our Gardening and Sustainability group each week to work alongside students. Her contribution has already made a noticeable difference in our veggie beds.
The Sustainability Awards presented at assembly are motivating students to make positive environmental choices, which is a wonderful reflection of KPS’ values in action. We also noted improvements in how tidy the grounds have been recently, although some whole school clean-up days will still be planned. A walk and ride to school day will also be scheduled for spring.
Communications
We discussed the timing of our survey on school camps to ensure the highest possible response rate. We look forward to hearing your thoughts on school camps when the survey is distributed before the end of term.
The Parent Opinion Survey for the Department of Education remains open until the end of this term. We encourage all families to complete it if they haven’t already. While the communication notes that it takes 20 minutes to complete, it can often be done in less time. So please grab a tea or coffee and submit your feedback at https://research.orima.com/parent, selecting Kyneton Primary School and using PIN 701800.
Other business
Council approved the Year 6 Melbourne camp and commended the staff for curating such a fun experience with student input. We also reviewed and updated the Child Safety Code of Conduct, which is available on the school website under Forms and Publications.
We appreciate the ongoing support and involvement of our school community.
Should you ever want to contact School Council please feel free to get in touch with me via katy.mcgrath@education.vic.gov.au.
Katy McGrath
School Council President