Assistant Principal's report

Branch Out News

A delegation of senior students from Kalinda and Warranwood Primary Schools are in Japan at the moment, accompanied by Mr McClare, White sensei, Hiromi sensei and Warranwood Staff. 

I want to acknowledge Mr McClare, White sensei and Hiromi sensei who worked so hard over many many months to ensure a successful adventure for our students, and for Kalinda families who have supported the project. 

The article below is a short update from our travelling team!

Greetings from Japan!

Our Japan Study Tour students are having an absolutely amazing experience, and we are so proud of the way they are embracing every opportunity this incredible trip has to offer!

We have spent the past week in Mito, Ibaraki, approximately 1.5 hours north of Tokyo, where our students have attended our sister school, Lilyvale Elementary School, each day. They have been warmly welcomed by the staff, students and families, and have thoroughly enjoyed immersing themselves in Japanese school life, building friendships and experiencing a different culture firsthand.

One of the real highlights this year has been seeing just how much Japanese our students are using. They have been confidently putting their language skills into practice and learning new vocabulary every day. Even I have been picking up some new words, particularly from the local dialect, Ibaraki-ben! It has been wonderful to see the students' confidence grow as they communicate with their Japanese friends and make the most of every opportunity to learn.

Beyond their language development, our students have demonstrated tremendous growth in maturity, organisation, interpersonal skills, resilience and problem-solving. Travelling in a different country presents plenty of challenges, but our students have consistently risen to the occasion. Alongside their fellow travellers from Warranwood Primary School, they have represented their schools beautifully and made all of us incredibly proud.

The adventure is far from over! Over the remainder of our trip, we will explore Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto and Nara. Some exciting highlights still to come, include Tokyo Disneyland, Universal Studios Japan and a visit to the historic Todai-ji Temple in Nara, where students will also have the opportunity to feed the famous deer that roam freely throughout the surrounding area.

A trip like this would not be possible without the dedication and support of so many people. A huge thank you to Mrs Hopkins for keeping everything running smoothly back at Kalinda while we are away. I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks to White sensei and Hiromi sensei for their incredible hard work, organisation and care throughout the trip. Their efforts have helped make this such a memorable and rewarding experience for our students.

We look forward to sharing more stories and highlights from our Japanese adventure when we return. In the meantime, we are making the most of every moment!

-Mr McClare

Crazy Camel Student Artwork Fundraiser

Sales for student artwork products have been very strong and I know the kids are excited to have the opportunity to see their 'Merch' in real life! If you would like to look at some of the high quality samples they are on display in the school foyer. 

I want to send a huge thank you to our phenomenal art teacher Libby Shaw who has curated meaningful art pieces for all year levels and inspired our students to develop their art in such a careful and skilled way. It has been special to see them online and receiving them in time for Christmas is going to be very exciting!

Don't forget sales close on 28th October! Head to Crazy Camel to order yours today.

Road Safety Reminder – Kalinda Road School Crossing

The safety of our students, families and community is always our highest priority. We are wanting to remind families to take extra care around the Kalinda Road school crossing, particularly during busy drop-off and pick-up times.

Recently, there have been instances of vehicles stopping in the No Standing zone before the crossing to drop off children, followed by drivers making U-turns close to the crossing. These actions create unnecessary risks for pedestrians and other road users. Under Victorian road rules, drivers must not stop in a No Standing area, except in very limited circumstances, and U-turns are not permitted at children's crossings unless specifically signed as permitted. 

Community members and crossing staff have recently raised these concerns with Maroondah City Council and Victoria Police, and enforcement may occur. We would hate for any member of our community to receive a fine when a small change in parking or drop-off arrangements can help keep everyone safe.

Please help us by:

• Parking legally and safely away from the crossing area if you need to stop.
• Avoiding drop-offs in No Standing zones.
• Not making u-turns near the crossing.
• Following the directions of our School Crossing Supervisor at all times.

Thank you for helping us keep Kalinda Road safe for all students, families and pedestrians. 

Follow us on Instagram

As well as our Facebook Page and Website, you can also follow us on Instagram. You'll find all the same great updates about wonderful things happening at Kalinda, as well as stories ideas and videos shared from some of our favourite educational experts. 

Look for kalindaprimaryschool on Insta, we'll see you there!

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