New Team Members to KPS

We are very excited to announce a few new staff members starting at KPS.

Firstly, I would like to warmly welcome Sharon Slamin, who has accepted the role of Leading Teacher Wellbeing and Engagement. Sharon brings a wealth of experience and knowledge in supporting student wellbeing, engagement and inclusion, and we are excited to have her joining the KPS community.

To help everyone get to know Sharon a little better, she has provided a little introduction about herself below.

I am very excited to be joining Keelonith Primary School’s community as a new member of the leadership team and feel privileged to become part of such a welcoming school. I am passionate about supporting the learning, wellbeing and growth of every child, and I strongly believe that children thrive when they feel safe, valued and supported.

I have had many opportunities in my professional journey, working as an Early Childhood Educator, supporting, and empowering students and families as a Pre School Field Officer, as a classroom teacher and as a leader in English as an Additional Language and in data and evidence. I have recently completed the Postgraduate in Learning Difficulties and undertaking the Masters in Learning Intervention.

I look forward to working closely with our dedicated staff to create engaging learning experiences, and to partnering with families as we nurture curiosity, confidence, and a love of learning in our students. I am excited to get to know the children, families, and staff, and to contribute positively to the caring, inclusive, and high-expectations culture that makes this school such a special place.

Also starting with us in Term 3 to take over from Seda Duman as she embarks on maternity leave is Karen McEwen. Karen has already spent some time at KPS over the past few weeks working as a CRT (Casual Relief Teacher), giving her the opportunity to get to know many of our students, staff and school community. We are excited to officially welcome Karen to the KPS team and look forward to the experience and knowledge she will bring to the role.

Again to help us to know Karen a little better, she has provided a little introduction about herself below.

My name is Karin McEwen and I’m excited to be teaching 1B at Keelonith Primary School in Term 3. My teaching career has taken me far and wide, including London, the N.T, regional Victoria and Melbourne. I have run a specialist tutor, supporting children who need literacy intervention or have dyslexia. I also do relief work in lower primary and early childhood settings. I love to run, cycle and swim, and watch all things on Britbox! Having spent a decade living and teaching in London, I am an honorary Brit!

Working Bee

A big thank you to the 7 community members who have already signed up to support our Community Working Bee on Thursday 18th June from 3:30pm–5:00pm.

We would love to see even more families join us for this community event as we work together to improve our school grounds. There will be a range of jobs available, including gardening, tidying outdoor areas and general maintenance tasks.

If you would like to help, please register using the Google Form below:

https://forms.gle/3NyqytjwCrYw9pGw7

3-Way Conferences - Save the Date

Just so families are aware, our Three-Way Conferences will be taking place on Thursday 16th July, during the first week of Term 3.

To support the running of the conferences, this will be a student-free day. We wanted to provide families with plenty of notice, particularly as the conferences will take place immediately following the school holidays

Schools OUT will also be providing a program on this day for families who require care.

Further information regarding conference bookings and arrangements will be communicated closer to the date.

2027 Prep Tours

If you know of any families with children starting school, please encourage them to get in touch and book a school tour at Keelonith Primary School.

We also remind current families with children starting school next year to collect an enrolment form as soon as possible, as enrolment applications close on 31 July.

Please use the QR code below to book a tour.

Time	Action
From 20 April	Foundation Enrolment Information Pack available; applications open.
31 July	Enrolment applications due.
3-14 August	Schools notify parents/carers of the application outcome.
28 August	Parents/carers respond to the enrolment offer.

Mobile Phone and Smart Watch Reminder

Just another reminder, as we are still seeing some students bringing devices to school, particularly smart watches. We understand the importance of these devices, especially for students who walk to and from school independently. However, as outlined in our policy, these devices must be handed into the front office upon arrival at school.

As per our policy, any device with mobile phone functionality or the ability to connect to a cellular network must be handed into the office upon arrival at school, where it will be securely stored for the day and returned at the end of the school day.

If families have any concerns or questions regarding this requirement, please feel free to contact me directly. I am happy to discuss the policy further or provide clarification.

Thank you for your support and cooperation.

Term 2 Assembly Dates

As you are aware, Monday is a public holiday, so there will be no assembly in Week 8.

Our next assembly will be held in Week 10, which is our final week of term. We will be holding this assembly on Friday 26th June at 9:05am, as we did on the last day of Term 1.

We look forward to celebrating another successful term and would love to see our families there. The assembly will include student award presentations, special announcements and the announcement of our Specialist Captains.

We look forward to seeing you there as we get ready for our final assembly of the term.

Friday 26th of June at 9.05am.

Collecting Children During the Day

If you need to collect your child early, please notify the office in advance so we can have them ready for you. Schools are busy places, and it can take time to locate students, particularly if they are in specialist classes or other learning areas.

To minimise disruptions, please avoid collections during:

• Play 1: 10:58 - 11:28

• Play 2: 1:14 - 1:44

During these times, children may not hear PA announcements, and buildings are locked for safety, making it difficult to collect belongings.

KPS Value Awards