Kinross Wolaroi Family Bulletin

From the 

Head of Junior School

Mrs Denise Hayward

Diversity and Inclusion

Last week I attended the Diversity and Inclusion Conference facilitated by the AIS. The conference afforded a wealth of speakers and was most timely as we consider as a school what diversity and inclusion looks like at Kinross Wolaroi. On the day, we heard from speakers from the world of politics, research, and education: 

  • Liesl Tesch MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Families and Community Services and Parliamentary Secretary for Disability Inclusion
  • Dr Kate de Bruin, Monash University - Creating and Sustaining Inclusive Schools and Systems
  • Dr Paul Fung, Deputy Mental Health Commissioner for NSW  -  Complexity is the New Norm: Using a Systems Approach to Support Young People with Complex Mental Health Presentations.

At Kinross Wolaroi we celebrate the diversity of our community in many ways. One of these is the acknowledgment of Wear it Purple Day. This day is about showing young people they have the right to be proud of who they are. It is about creating safe spaces in schools, universities, workplaces, and public spaces to show young people they are seen and supported. 

 

Wear it Purple shares the same goals of many Australian school systems in providing the foundation for inclusive education of which all students can take part. It shares the same goal of ensuring we create a safe, caring school environment in which students are nurtured as they learn while recognising the diversity within the school community and providing programs and support which acknowledge difference to promote harmony. 

 

Under the ‘Every Student is Known, Valued and Cared For’ strategic framework, it is paramount we as schools establish and sustain structures to support student individual wellbeing. Wear it Purple Day as a Junior School is a collaborative effort, providing a clear message to students and the community that we accept students for who they are, and believe all students should feel a sense of belonging in our community.

 

On Wednesday 23 August we are not only celebrating Wear it Purple Day but Book Week. Students are invited to wear a purple hat, wig, wrist band, ribbon, nail polish, purple items in addition to their Book Week character costume. We look forward to welcoming families to our celebration in the DPA at 2:30pm.

Write a Book in a Day

Last week our Year 6 students along with Ms Dodson, Ms Hazelton, Mr Whitehead, Mrs Pengilly and our author in residence, Tim Harris set themselves a dual challenge of writing and illustrating a book over 12 hours and raising money for the Kid’s Cancer Project.

 

Students worked in the library from 8am to 8pm to ideate, write, edit and illustrate a book for the Write a Book in a Day Challenge. The commitment, creativity and collaboration shown by the students was extraordinary. In teams, students were given set parameters to include in their stories. They spent time crafting different settings, inventing characters and plotting the events, with consideration to using flashbacks, twists and foreshadowing to enhance their work. It was important to decide on the style, tone and point of view for telling their story. Teams worked flexibly and respectfully, considering different perspectives as they decided how each chapter would connect. 

 

This was certainly a unique experience involving all students in Year 6. Congratulations to each student who participated in the competition. The ‘Write a Book in a Day’ process can be challenging at times, but it was pleasing to see how active listening and a willingness to compromise when needed, led to a successful and productive experience for all students. 

 

Each team sought sponsorship from families and friends to raise money for the Kid’s Cancer Project with funds going towards scientific research to discover better treatments and ultimately a cure for children with cancer. A copy of each book will be put into a hospital for sick kids to enjoy and in our own school library. 

 

To date the students have raised a staggering $3252. The students would like to invite all members of the school community to sponsor them, acknowledging not only their 12 hours of sustained work but their service in the wider community by clinking on the links below.

 

Kinross Blue                        $488

Kinross Green                    $519

Kinross Red                         $410

Kinross Yellow                   $634

Kinross Aqua                      $515

Kinross Purple                   $342

Kinross Orange                  $344

Kinross Students making their Mark 

At KWS we value and strive for academic rigor. Students have a myriad of opportunities to engage in enriching learning experiences which in some instances the school provides or facilitates student access to them.  Please share with us your child’s interest, passions, and achievements by emailing junioroffice@kws.nsw.edu.au.

 

Jazinta Jandera in Year 6 was awarded first place in the City of Orange Eisteddfod on 1/8/23 for:

  1. Recitation own choice - “Aunty Sponge and Aunt Spiker” by Roald Dahl
  2. Australian Verse - “Sister Isabelle and the Zoo” by Douge Macloud
  3. Prepared Reading - “The Witches” by Roald Dahl

In addition to this great achievement Jazinta was awarded the trophy for highest point score for 11 year olds.