Principal's report

Acknowledgement of Country

We acknowledge the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung People of the Kulin nation; past, present and those who will walk with us into the future.

We acknowledge the rich and unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas, educational practices and the hopes of all First Nations Peoples. We do this in the spirit of reconciliation as we move to a place of justice and partnership - together we work, learn, play and care for one another and this land.

The Acknowledgement of Country below was made by Emmett in Year 4.

Another great term

This is the final newsletter for the term and as I write this, I am reflecting on some of the great moments and achievements of the term. It has been a long and busy term, and a lot of hard work has been put in by students, parents and staff.

Reading through all of the reports, that will come out next week, I can see great evidence of learning growth throughout the first semester. All students should be celebrated for their efforts as they worked diligently towards making as much progress as possible. 

I am really proud of the information we are able to provide parents through our reports.  By looking at the mathematics and literacy continuum, parents are able to see the areas which students have a complete understanding as well as the opportunities for further growth.  Thank you to the teachers for the work that have gone into the reports.

A couple of the highlights for the term are actually taking place this week. Our STEM Expo is celebrating the great work of our students in STEM throughout the term. The Foundation students designed and made hats, the 1/2 students coded robots, the 3/4 students built rubber band-powered vehicles and the 5/6 students did 3D design and printing of their own superheroes and their logos. 

Finally, I am really looking forward to the Trivia Night this Friday. With over 150 tickets sold, it will be a fantastic social event for our parent community. Thank you so much to our Parents and Friends Association for the hard work that has gone into this.

Phonics in Literacy at Kalinda

With a lot of talk about phonics in education in the media over the last week or so, I asked our Literacy Curriculum Team Leader, Natasha Weekes, to share the work we are already doing at Kalinda. 

Since 2022, Kalinda Primary School has been committed to enhancing their teaching practices to further align with the Science of Reading, an evidence-based approach to literacy instruction that emphasizes the importance of phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. 

One of the key tools Kalinda Primary School employs is the use of phonics screening assessments, specifically Arcadience Reading. 

In addition to phonics screening, Kalinda Primary School has implemented the Fluency Friends program across grades F-6. This initiative focuses on developing reading fluency, a critical component of the Science of Reading. Fluency Friends pairs students to practice reading aloud, fostering a collaborative and supportive learning environment. Through regular practice, students enhance their reading speed, accuracy, and expression, which are essential for comprehension and overall reading proficiency. This peer-supported model not only builds fluency but also encourages a love of reading and strengthens social connections among students.

Most recently, Kalinda staff has been developing a tailored scope and sequence for reading instruction, grounded in Kalinda's 6 Pillars of Reading, which align closely with the established Big 6 of Reading.  By mapping the pillars—phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and oral language—to the Big 6, Kalinda effectively integrates evidence-based practices into their curriculum. This alignment not only promotes consistency in teaching methodologies but also enhances the learning experience, ensuring that students receive a balanced and robust literacy education that prepares them for future academic success.

 As a result, Kalinda Primary School continues to foster a learning environment where all students can thrive and develop a lifelong passion for reading.

Natasha Weekes, Literacy Curriculum Team Leader

Attendance

Ensuring your child's regular attendance at school, and avoiding absences where possible, is proven to improve learning outcomes and wellbeing for students. This week we will be sending out letters to families where children have had a high number of absent days during this first semester. We ask that you make every possible effort to ensure your child's consistent attendance at school.

The document below contains important information from DET regarding the importance of regular attendance.

Student-free Day 26th July

We will be holding our next student-free day on Friday 26th July. Our staff focus for the day will be the teaching of Mathematics. Led by our Numeracy Leader, Bron Draffin, and Learning Specialist, Bron Steele, teachers will explore changes to the mathematics curriculum (Mathematics Version 2.0) and rich maths tasks.

Theircare will provide full day care on this day for anyone who requires it.

Enrolling at Kalinda for 2025 - Applications due by the  26th July

Enrolments are now open for 2025. Please follow the link below to book a tour or enrol your child. If you have a younger sibling who will begin next year, please follow the links below to enter their enrolment.

https://www.kalinda.vic.edu.au/page/67/Book-a-tour-

https://www.kalinda.vic.edu.au/page/131/Foundation-2025-enrolments-open

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