Kismet Park Newsletter

Principal's Message

Dear Families,

 

It is hard to believe that we are already at the end of week 3!!

 

Our term continues to move forward at an increasing speed as we put in place our plans for the coming 2024 school year. 

 

In the past few weeks our Attitudes To School Data has come through and our teachers are in the process of unpacking this data at both whole staff level, at School Council and with individual grades. I have copied some of the key data sets from the Attitudes To School Survey for our parents/carers to view. Please see the data sets measuring our school against Similar Schools, Network Schools, and State. 

 

Our results continue to remain strong with our students feeling connected, safe and engaging in challenging learning tasks. As a staff we are proud of these results and the feedback our students have provided us through these surveys.

 

Every year all students in years 4, 5 and 6 have an opportunity to take part in the Attitudes To School Survey. Please see the results for key data sets:

  • Effective Classroom Behaviour for Students
  • Not Experiencing Bullying in the past year
  • Sense of Connectedness
  • Differentiated Learning Challenge 

Curriculum Consumables/Book Packs - 2024

We have taken to School Council our process for Book Packs and the payments associated with Curriculum Consumables/Book Packs for the 2024 school year.

 

Please note the following changes we have put in place so that our process runs smoothly:

  • This year our Business Manager, Kylie has sourced a new company that she has had positive experiences with previously – Rapid Office Supplies.
  • All orders will need to be placed by Wednesday 20th December and there will be NO late orders.
  • The book packs will be delivered to our school on 22nd January 2024.
  • The book packs will then be delivered directly to classrooms where teachers will ensure students receive their purchased book packs.
  • After the first week of school, there will be an opportunity for book packs to be sent home for parents/carers to label if they wish to do so.

In the coming days, all our families will receive the note and schedule regarding the purchasing of Curriculum Consumables/Book Packs.

 

Robotics Program (Lego League Tournament) – UPDATE

Our Project for the Robotics Team our focus (all schools) is connecting The Arts Globally through Digital technology. 

Our students are in the process of interviewing our Performing Arts teacher and our Visual Arts teacher on how we at Kismet Park Primary School can connect our arts globally.

  

Our Robotics team will be creating a Website to showcase our schools progress in The Arts since COVID and how far we have come. At present the team is getting ready for their first Lego league challenge with other Sunbury schools and have been engaged in researching, problem solving, coding, and engineering. We have five year 5 students and five year 6 students involved. The tournament will take place on November 11th. 

 

OSHC – Their Care

On Friday 6th October I met with Their Care team. At our meeting I was able to meet with the new team including:

  • Staff coordinator – Ash Morgan
  • Area Manager – Sheridan Massara/Luke Blythman
  • Operations Manager – Tia Katsigiannis

Luke has resigned from his position as area manager due to having a young family and competing priorities. In Luke’s place we have a new Area Manager, Sheridan Massara. The team shared with me the permanent staff they have hired for our school. Permanent staff at Kismet are Ash Morgan – staff coordinator, Amy Caruana, educator and Abey Fides, educator.

 

At the meeting we discussed our expectations with the new team regarding the following:

  • positive interactions with students and families
  • setting of clear boundaries and ensuring a safe and orderly environment for our students
  • ensuring resources and activities that are presented to our students are high level.

The report I received from Their Care and from my observations, is that our students are more settled due to Ash’s background in early childhood and her extensive experience. The focus has been on resettling back into Building A and the space including the resetting of expectations.

 

Forward Planning for 2024: UPDATE

We have begun the process of forward planning and looking at grade structures, numbers and staffing for the 2024 school year. In doing so I invite all parent/carers who know their child/children will NOT be returning to our school please phone our office by Friday November 3rd,  on 9744-4566 and let us know please. This will assist us with plans for our grades and staffing profile.

 

As we begin to plan for our 2024 classes there is an opportunity for parents/carers to provide us with any additional information that we may not be aware of that may affect your child's class placement next year. This needs to be provided in writing and forwarded directly to my email address at katarina.cvitkovic@education.vic.gov.au with subject header ATTENTION KATHY by Friday November 3rd.  Please note that any emails that come through after the 3rd of  November date will not be considered due to the flow on effect that late changes will have on our process.

 

Please note that this is not a teacher/class selection process but an opportunity to provide us with information that may assist with your child's social and academic groupings. Please note that whilst all information will be carefully considered case by case, we cannot guarantee that all requests will be met.

 

I am thanking all in our community in advance as we work through our grade structures, student numbers and staffing profile for the 2024 school year. 

 

Prep Enrolments and transitions for 2024 - UPDATE

At present we have 55 students enrolled with us for the 2024 school year. This means that at this stage we will have 3 prep grades. There will be a parent information session on Wednesday 15th November from 6:30pm – 8:00pm for all our parents/carers of foundation/prep students. 

 

We had our first prep transition yesterday morning and it was wonderful to see and interact with our future prep students and their families. All our prep students settled in well for the hour.

 

Please see below for our remaining prep/foundation transition dates.

  • Thursday 26th October 9.00am – 10am 
  • Thursday 2nd November 9.00am – 10am 
  • Thursday 9th November 9.00am – 10am – Meet the Teacher
  • Thursday 16th November 9.00am – 10am – Meet the Teacher and Meet Your Buddy 

Thank-you to all our families of prep/foundation students who made the time to come and meet with me. It was wonderful to spend time chatting and learning more about families and individual students. We will use information gained through our questionnaire and chats to ascertain further needs individual students may require for the 2024 school year.

 

As a school community we continue to remain strong and have lots to celebrate. I am thanking all in our community for your continued support and positivity. 

 

Warmest Regards,

 

Kathy Cvitkovic

Principal 

‘Building the foundations for success and happiness’.