From the  Assistant Principal

Wellbeing Day

Thank you to our hardworking and innovative Wellbeing Team led by Mel Tattersall for overseeing our Wellbeing Day last Friday. Our focus for the day was identifying and developing Kindness and Empathy and students worked in Kalinda Crews for most of the day. The Kalinda Crews are an initiative that strive to build cross-age connections and strengthen relationships between students and a range of trusted adults in the school community. It was wonderful to be able to privilege our time to focus on the Wellbeing of ourselves and our community and we were so proud of our students for the insight they showed through discussions and activities. Thank you to our highly skilled and passionate staff and our Grade 6 students who took leadership of each crew during the day.

Welcome Brooke

We are so pleased to welcome Brooke Witherow to our staff as First Officer for the remainder of 2022. Brooke comes to Kalinda with a wealth of experience in both the health sector and education sector as she is currently completing a teaching degree. Whilst this author in no way endorses Brooke's choice of AFL football team, I am thrilled to introduce you to her!

Hi Kalinda! My name is Brooke Witherow and I am fortunate enough to be part of the Kalinda parent community. I have a son in Grade 1 and a daughter who starts Foundation next year.  I’m very excited to begin my new role as First Aid Assistant at Kalinda Primary School. I have 12 years of nursing and sports training experience. I love spending time with my family, travelling, and enjoy watching all sports, particularly Collingwood and Melbourne Storm.  

Disability Inclusion Tier 2 Funding - inclusion at Kalinda

This year has heralded the beginning of Disability Inclusion Tier 2 funding to our school. Tier 2 funding is targeted toward students who require supplementary, substantial, or extensive reasonable adjustments to participate in and derive substantial benefits from their education. In 2022 we have allocated this funding towards expanding a myriad of our existing programs. Including: rebranding our Step Up program to encompass all support and extension teams; increasing MultiLit places and use of and monitoring of data in MultiLit (releasing an experienced teacher to oversee this); implementing a Life and Social Skills program; utilising our School Counsellors' expertise in building social skills; arranging release time for teachers to work with leadership and consultants on funding applications and documentation and other resources. 

It is a huge credit to our amazing teachers and support staff at Kalinda that last week we were asked to present to the Ovens Murray Region principals about our journey with the Tier 2 funding so far. Their region is moving to the Tier 2 model in 2023 and we were identified as a school demonstrating great practice worth sharing. 

We will use our learnings from 2022 to continue building the best inclusive opportunities possible at Kalinda into 2023 and beyond.

Disability Inclusion

Our school is proud to be a part of one of the first areas to transition to Disability Inclusion, the new strengths-based approach to supporting students with disability in Victorian Government Schools. This will replace the Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD).

These reforms introduce a new tiered funding model and Disability Inclusion Profile for students with disability. To apply for funding, schools will complete a Profile which is a 

strengths-based process to help schools and families identify:

• Your child’s needs
• The educational adjustments schools can make to support your child.

Key people who understand your child’s education and support needs complete the profile together. A facilitator helps schools and families work through the profile together.

The Victorian Government will review DI Transition Funding for schools after 2024.

For more information about Disability Inclusion, you can  visit https://www.vic.gov.au/disability-inclusion-extra-support-children-disability. 

Pyjama Day 31st August

Footy Maths Day Friday 9th September

We are kind. We are resilient. We are respectful.