Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Welcome back to Term 4! We hope everyone had a restful break and is ready for an exciting term ahead.

Uniform in Term 4:

It has been great to see so many students remaining safe, wearing their broad brimmed hat during any outside activities. As part of our Dress Code policy such hats are required from the beginning of Term Four, until the end of April. Staff on Yard duty will be reminding students that No Hat makes for No Play. Students without an approved hat will be directed to remain in a shaded area.

Also, thank you for helping to ensure your child learns the importance of wearing the correct school uniform. A school uniform removes the sense of competition in dress, which can often cause stress amongst students and has the important safety benefit of making KVPS children instantly recognisable. If you require some assistance in accessing a uniform, please see us at the Office as we are more than happy to help you out so that your child/ren has a strong sense of belonging to the KVPS community.

Tutor Learning

We are thrilled to announce that our small group Literacy and Numeracy tutoring program has commenced for the term, providing targeted support to help students thrive. Please contact your child’s teacher if you do not want your child to participate in this initiative.

Wellbeing Programs:

Additionally, our wellbeing programs, including Peaceful Kids, Secret Agent Society (SAS),Girl Wise, Incredible Flexible You and K9 Therapy, are now up and running, promoting emotional resilience and connection among our students.

The Student Representative Council (SRC) is busy planning our Termly Rewards Day, a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our students' hard work and achievements. We’re also continuing our efforts to declutter the library, creating an inviting space for all learners.

We remain committed to maintaining high expectations for learning and behaviour in the classroom. We will continue to focus on our school values, encouraging students to engage actively with their learning. Teachers are dedicated to planning work that supports varying abilities, ensuring all students can participate meaningfully. We also emphasise the importance of positive and respectful behaviour; this includes listening to instructions, participating in all learning tasks, and asking for help when needed. By fostering a supportive environment, we aim to empower students to take ownership of their learning journey.

Thinking Ahead to 2025

We are now in the process of reviewing student enrolment numbers for 2025 at each year level, as we prepare to structure our teaching teams and grades. If you are considering leaving KVPS next year, please advise the office as soon as possible. Your decision does not need to be final, and your child will not lose their spot if you change your mind but giving us a heads-up is very helpful. This information is vital for the school’s budgeting and staffing plans for 2025. Additionally, if you think you may be moving house, travelling overseas, or if your visa is expiring, please inform the office as soon as possible.

School Saving Bonus

The Victorian Government is making life that little bit easier for families by providing a one-off $400 School Saving Bonus.

This support will help cover the cost of school uniforms, textbooks, and school activities like camps, excursions and sports.

The School Saving Bonus is in addition to existing and continuing means-tested supports for Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) and the Affordable School Uniforms Program.

The School Saving Bonus will be provided to schools and families in Term 4, 2024.

The School Saving Bonus is available for parents and carers of all Victorian government school students from Prep to Year 12 in 2025, except for full-fee international students, home schooled students, TAFE students and students attending kindergarten in 2025.

Actions for parents and carers

Parents and carers of children who meet the School Saving Bonus eligibility above are required to do the following by Friday 18 October 2024:

Complete enrolment

If your child, or children are changing government school for Term 1 2025, or starting Prep or Year 7 in 2025, please complete enrolment.

Check your contact information

Ensure your contact information is up to date with your school. You can check this information by contacting your school directly.

Accessing the $400 School Saving Bonus

You do not need to apply for the School Saving Bonus.

The Department of Education will email you in November 2024 with your $400 School Saving Bonus. You will be able to access it via an online system.

You can decide how to best use the School Saving Bonus for your family's needs. You can choose how to allocate the $400 in the online system.

The bonus can be used towards 2025 school costs, which may include:

camps, trips, excursions and incursions
swimming and sporting programs
outdoor education programs
graduations
school uniforms

The bonus can be used at your school’s approved textbook or uniform suppliers either in-store or online, or through State Schools’ Relief. The list of suppliers may include a school uniform or bookshop. Any amount that you choose to allocate to textbooks and uniforms will be valid until 30 June 2025. It will then transfer to your child’s school account for future activities.

Funds will roll over for use in future years if it is not all spent in 2025.

Families with more than one eligible child

Families who have more than one child at the same school can combine their School Saving Bonus payments to use on one child, or for a specific activity. So, for example, a family with 3 children who are all government school students would receive support to the value of $1,200 and choose how they spend those funds. The School Saving Bonus cannot be combined across different schools.

More information

To learn more about the School Saving Bonus visit vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus. Translated information will also be available on the School Saving Bonus website in the next few weeks.

PE

Congratulations to the Year 3/4 Future Stars Hoop Time Team who have progressed through to the State Finals in December! What a great achievement!