Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians,

As Semester One is now complete, we want to extend our congratulations to all our students for their hard work and dedication. This past semester has been a testament to your commitment to learning and personal growth. Our examination week was a great success, and I would like to congratulate all our students from Year 8-12 for their outstanding effort and behaviour during the exam period. A big thanks as always goes to all of our teachers for putting in the extra hard yards this week and next week as they mark exams and finalise the end of semester reports. I would ask that all students take on board their teachers’ feedback, and not to just look at the examination papers as a piece of assessment. The best learning task that students can now do is to take the feedback and reattempt the questions that they found challenging. Please discuss this with your child and consider unpacking their exam papers and feedback with them, once they receive them back.

With the start of Semester Two this week, we have a wonderful opportunity to set new goals and continue our journey of improvement. Whether it's striving for higher grades, getting involved in extracurricular activities, or simply becoming more organised, this new semester is a fresh start. We encourage all students to reflect on their achievements from the first half of the year and think about what they want to accomplish next. Remember, setting clear, achievable goals is the first step towards success. A reminder to please check and engage with Compass for your child’s ongoing live reporting and assessment, and to engage directly with your child’s teacher if there are any queries or concerns regarding this.

Our annual Student Attitudes to School surveys are almost complete for 2024. These surveys are completed by all students in the school and provide us with valuable insight into student perceptions about many different aspects of the College. Upon receipt of the survey data, we will then be engaging our student leaders from across the College, as well as our staff and the parents on school council, to unpack the data further to plan for improvements, and to also celebrate improvements.

Upcoming Key Dates

Please be reminded of some key dates coming up over the next few weeks. This Monday 10th of June is the Kings Birthday Long weekend. Tuesday 18th of June our annual Professional Practice Day. This is a student free day for all students except any student participating in the 2024 General Achievement Test (GAT). Then on Wednesday the 19th our 2024 whole school athletics day will take place. The athletics day is a great opportunity for all students to come along and have a go at arrange of activities, whether its running, jumping or throwing events, there is something for everyone to try their hand at. It’s also a good opportunity to enjoy a day of school spirit and time out of the classroom with their peers and teachers.

Uniform Policy Reminder

We would also like to remind everyone about our school uniform policy. Hoodies are not part of the approved school uniform. We expect all students to adhere to the uniform guidelines, which help promote a sense of belonging and school pride. Any student wearing a hoodie will be asked to remove it. We appreciate your cooperation in maintaining our school's standards.

On a positive note, we are excited to announce that new uniform items will be available very soon. Keep an eye out for these updates, as we believe these additions will enhance our uniform options and provide more variety and comfort for our students. More details will be shared in the coming weeks.

Importance of Safety on Bikes and Electric Scooters

As we encourage our students to be active and independent, many are choosing to ride bikes and electric scooters to and from school. While these modes of transportation are fun and environmentally friendly, they also come with safety concerns that we must address to ensure the well-being of our children.

To help keep our students safe, we urge you to discuss the following safety guidelines with your children. Also please click here to view laws around the use of electronic scooters.

1. Wear Helmets:

Ensure your children always wear a properly fitted helmet while riding a bike or electric scooter. Helmets significantly reduce the risk of head injuries in case of an accident.

2. Obey Traffic Laws:

Teach your children the rules of the road, including stopping at stop signs, obeying traffic signals, and riding in the same direction as traffic.
Remind them to use hand signals when turning and to be aware of their surroundings at all times.

3. Stay Visible:

Equip bikes and scooters with lights and reflectors, especially if your children will be riding in low-light conditions.

4. Avoid Distractions:

Emphasise the importance of paying attention to the road and avoiding distractions such as using mobile phones or listening to music while riding.
Do not use your electric scooter to give your friends a lift to school.

5. Ride Safely:

Ensure that your children understand the importance of riding at a safe speed and being cautious around pedestrians and other vehicles.
At no stage should they be riding their bikes or scooters through the school. They are to dismount at the gate and walk their bikes/scooters to the bike shed.

6. Choose Safe Routes:

Help your children plan a safe route to and from school, preferably using bike lanes or quieter streets with less traffic.
Encourage them to avoid riding on busy roads whenever possible.

Once again, congratulations on a successful Semester 1. Let's continue to support one another and strive for excellence as we move into Semester 2.

Kind regards,

Martin McDonald

Acting Principal

Kambrya College

Important Dates

To be read in conjunction with the Compass calendar