From the Principal

Dear Karoo PS Community, 

One of the greatest gifts that we can provide our young people is a safe space for them to try new things, to support them when things don't go as planned and encourage them to have humility and courage to reset when needed.

As we dive further into the term, I have been so encouraged by my conversations with our students who have been so articulate and reflective about their learning.  From the joy in our Foundation classrooms, as they learn to understand letter sound relationships, to our determined Year 6 students exploring the impact of local community groups on their lives and the lives of others.  I have been so impressed with our student's ability to explain their thinking when learning new things, as well as their ability to ask for help when needed and have the determination to perserve when they are challenged.  So, whether it be building skills in the swimming pool, like our Year 3s and Year 4s or stepping outside one's comfort zone like our Year 5/6s at their first State Schools Spectacular (SSS) dance rehearsal or testing determination at District Swimming, our students know that they have the support around them to face a challenge and learn as they grow.

School Financial Contributions

I want to express my sincere gratitude to our parent community for their dedicated commitment to making timely financial contributions. At School Council, we assess costs to establish the most cost-effective fee structure possible. 

It's important for everyone to recognise the crucial role that parent contributions play in enhancing the education provided to your children at Karoo Primary School. While government funding is received, it falls short in sustaining the high standards of practices and the optimal learning environment your children deserve.

To illustrate, the funds allocated for ground maintenance from the government do not cover even the basic expenses like regular mowing, let alone addressing issues such as turf replacement or upgrades, playground soft-fall improvements, and essential tree maintenance. We express our deep appreciation for the support as the contributions also go towards Literacy and Numeracy programs, as well as our specialist programs like Science and Media.

 If you haven't made your contribution yet, we encourage you to contact the office to either make a full payment or discuss organising a payment plan. 

School Council - Thank you for your contributions

On Tuesday the 24th of March, our final 2025 School Council meeting was held, and it was an opportunity for the School Council to say thank you to our retiring members for the contribution to our school, on behalf of our community.

A warm thank you goes to Luke Michael, Danielle Coniglione, Clare McCandlish and Joshua Edwards for their time on School Council and contributions to improving our school over the past one to two years.

An additional acknowledgement goes to Tammy Culpitt and Sarah Elliott, who have served our school community with great dedication as School Council members for the past eight and six years respectively. Throughout their time on School Council, both Tammy and Sarah have generously contributed their time, insight, and expertise in support of the school’s ongoing development and success.

A thank you to all our retiring School Council members for their thoughtful input, willingness to engage in meaningful discussion, and strong commitment to our students and families.  This has played an important role in shaping many of the decisions and initiatives that support our school community. Your time, expertise, and support have been sincerely appreciated and have made a lasting impact on our school.

In recognition of their service, each retiring School Council member was presented with a gift of a philosophy book, along with a personalised message of thanks from our school community. This small token acknowledges the significant contribution they have made and our appreciation for their many years of service.

Foundation Picnic

Our Foundation families came together last week to celebrate the start of foundation with our Foundation Family Picnic! It was wonderful to see the buzz of excitement around the school as our families connected!  A heartfelt thank you to our KPA for running the BBQ at the event - the sizzling sausages and community connections were an absolute hit!

KPS Working Bee

I look forward to seeing those that can make it to our Working Bee on Sunday 15th March.  It will be a relaxed day with a range of jobs available, so everyone can contribute in a way that suits them. Whether you can stay for a short time or the whole session, your help will make a real difference. Many small jobs add up quickly when we work together. Come and join the fun, meet other families, and enjoy being part of a positive community effort.

Our main jobs on the day: 

• Mulching
• Re-filling our sandpit
• Gardening

Please bring:

• Wheelbarrows, 
• Shovels
• Gardening gloves and equipment 

To thank everyone for attending, the school will host a BBQ during the working bee. Please see the flyer for full details of what to bring and the planned activities.

Please click on the link to register your interest in attending, so we can plan jobs and catering:  Working Bee 2026 

KPS Colour Run 2026

The Karoo PS Colour Run is back in 2026!!!  This AWESOME event is being held on Friday 1st May, from 4pm-5:30pm.  So, while you are covered in colour, you will be able to navigate new and exciting obstacles along the 2026 course - so make sure you save the date!

The Colour Run will be Karoo PS's major fundraising event for this year, and while it is a sensational opportunity to raise money for our wonderful school to upgrade our basketball courts and purchase more decodable readers, it is also an opportunity to win amazing prizes for you and your class!

Below is a range of prizes that could be on offer! Cast your vote for your top 10 prizes that you would like to win - the more votes, the more likely that prize will be part of the Colour Run prizes!!  The final Colour Run prizes and class incentives will be announce on Monday the 16th March @ 3:30pm.  Voting closes on Thursday 12th March @ 4pm - Happy Prize Voting!!!!  KPS Colour Run Prize Survey

Road Safety @ Karoo PS

Significant concerns have been raised through our School Council and Staff regarding unsafe behaviours observed on the roads surrounding our school, in particular during school drop off and pick up times.

The following behaviours have been observed on multiple occasions:

• Cars completing U-turns in illegal locations
• Parking longer than permitted in the 2-minute drop off zone
• Students crossing the road at points other than the designated crossing
• Double parking next to parked cars and allowing children to exit vehicles

These actions place the safety of our students, families, staff and wider community at risk and the safety and wellbeing of our students and families remains our highest

priority.

What you can do:

We ask all members of our community to follow road rules carefully.

In particular at school drop off and pick up times:

• Use the 2-minute drop off area strictly for ‘kiss and go’ drop off short 2min stays only
• Ensure students cross at the supervised School Crossing
• Single park only (please do not double park on Karoo Road or Murrindal Drive)
• Do not complete U-turns outside the school fence - please use the roundabouts at the end of each road

If you observe unsafe behaviour, report it to the local council, as they govern the roads around our school. Where multiple complaints are received, inspectors may attend and issue fines. 

We understand that drop off and pick up times are busy. However, if we all work together and remain patient and mindful, we can ensure a safe environment for everyone.

To support this reminder, you will notice:

• An increased staff presence outside the school grounds during drop off and pick up times.

Bike Safety

We have also had members of our community express concern about bike safety and students riding in and outside of the school grounds.

At school we want to encourage our students to ride to school but to also be safe doing so. Therefore, conversations are being had at school regarding bike safety and expected behaviours when using bikes around our school.

These conversations have included reminding student of the following expectations:

• Walk your bike when in the school grounds
• Cross the road at the crossings with your bike
• Walk your bike when outside the Karoo school grounds at congested or busy times
• Park your bike in the racks with one space in between - where possible.

If your child rides to school, we ask for families to have follow up conversations at home around bike safety and the above expectations.  We thank you in advance for your support to ensure the safety of our whole school community.

Enjoy your long weekend and I look forward to seeing you around our sensational school!

Courtney Hoffmann

 Principal