Assistant Principal
Megan Franklyn
Assistant Principal
In the blink of an eye we’re already at the end of week 3! The students have started the year amazingly well, our teachers have been revisiting our 3 schoolwide expected behaviours: be respectful, be resilient and be empathetic, encouraging students to demonstrate these behaviours at all times. This term has also seen the rollout of our behaviour matrix. This was created last year in consultation with staff, students and parents and describes the behaviours we expect to see across various settings within and outside of our school. I have attached it for you to read through.
Our teachers have also spent the first weeks of school building relationships with their students and setting up the classroom routines and expectations that will support all children to be successful. This has included how we line up outside the classroom, how we move around the school safely and mindfully, our morning set up and afternoon pack up routines and our Literacy and Numeracy lesson routines.
Continuing on from 2023 all classes at Kingswood have a timetabled wellbeing session every week. This term the focuses are: 1. Class expectations, expected behaviours and routines
2. Emotional Literacy
3. Personal strengths.
Teams also will be incorporating specific lessons based on the needs of the students in their cohort. Over the next two weeks we have our Parent/Teacher conferences with a focus on teachers getting to know your children as learners and this includes any particular adjustments or wellbeing supports that you think your child may need to have a successful 2024.
In 2024, we have Melissa Godeassi, our school counsellor, continuing to work with us on Mondays and Tuesdays. She can provide 15minute 1:1 check in support for students and she is able to provide support for issues including: grief, parent separation, anxiety, friendship/social issues. If you are interested in accessing some support for your child please contact their classroom teacher or me at megan.franklyn@education.vic.gov.au.
At the beginning of the new year it is also an opportune time to remind all parents about the importance of attending school. All children should be at school when they are well enough to attend. Obviously we want to protect our community and keep everyone safe and healthy so do not want sick children to be at school. Where possible, appointments and family holidays should be scheduled outside of school hours (we know this isn’t always possible). We appreciate your support in promoting positive attendance habits within the community. If your child is showing signs of school refusal, please reach out to the classroom teacher or myself so that we can intervene early. Once school refusal behaviours become entrenched they can be much more difficult to overcome.
Just a reminder, that Bradley Stringer, our Disability Inclusion and Wellbeing Leader is on leave this term, enjoying time with his wife and new baby girl! He is being replaced by Kara Bogicevic while he is on leave, who you may have seen around with our gorgeous therapy dog Leo! Make sure to reach out if you and your child need any support.