Dear Karoo PS Community,

Time flies, and here we are, wrapping up Week 5 already! The students and staff have seamlessly settled into the rhythm of the school year, blending in as if they've been here for ages.

We have had an action packed few weeks with our Year 3's & Year 4's finishing swimming, our Foundation families coming together for our Foundation Picnic Night last week, our Year 5 State Schools Spectacular (SSS) Performers having their first dance rehearsal, District Swimming and our 'Getting to Know You Interviews.' It has been a pleasure to feel the 'buzz' of excitement around your school grounds!

Foundation Picnic Night

Our Foundation Picnic Night is a special evening, where our foundation families come together for a picnic and fun! It was fantastic to see so many of our families enjoying the time to get to know each other and our teachers further.

State Schools Spectacular (Dance)

Each year a group of Year 5 students take part in the State Schools Spectacular, which is performed at John Cain Arena in September. However, before the final performance our students take part in many rehearsals both at school and off site to ensure that they are prepared for the main day! Our SSS Dance group had their first rehearsal offsite and all students did an amazing job of demonstrating our Karoo PS values and representing our school, while having lots of fun!

District Swimming

A huge congratulations to our KPS Swimmers for their efforts at District Swimming last Friday. Everyone tried their personal best and represented our school with pride. A further congratulations to those students who have made it through the next level of Division Swimming (please see further information and photos on the P.E. newsletter page).

Getting to Know You Interviews

Thank you to all of the families who came and met with the teachers at the Getting to Know You Interviews, either onsite or online this week. These meetings are a valuable opportunity for teachers and parents to forge a great relationship to ensure that students achieve the best possible learning outcomes.

A HUGE thank you also to the KPA for organising the second-hand uniform stall on Tuesday during the interviews and Amanda Thorne for coordinating the event. It was fantastic to see so many of the school community making the most of gold coin uniforms!

Danielle Update

I would like to share that wonderful Principal, Danielle Heatley, is continuing to recover well from her knee surgery. She is now out of hospital and is concentrating on completing her rehab, to ensure she recovers as best possible. Mrs Heatley sends a warm hello to everyone at Karoo PS and says that she misses everyone and is enjoying hearing updates on all the Karoo PS adventures!!

KPA (Karoo Parents Association)

The Karoo Parents' Association (KPA) plays a crucial role in fostering a sense of community, connecting parents, and supporting the school council. The AGM will be held next week on Friday the 7th March at 9:10am, in the staff room. We welcome current members of the KPA and new interested parents to come and join the meeting to find out more about how you can support our school.

*Please go to the Karoo Parents Association page in this newsletter for further information.

School Financial Contributions

Amidst the continual rise in the cost of living, I want to express my sincere gratitude to our parent community for their dedicated commitment to making timely financial contributions. At School Council, we assess costs to establish the most cost-effective fee structure possible. This year, we're pleased to report that over 82% of families have either made upfront payments or committed to a payment plan.

It's important for everyone to recognise the crucial role that parent contributions play in enhancing the education provided to your children at Karoo Primary School. While government funding is received, it falls short in sustaining the high standards of practices and the optimal learning environment your children deserve.

To illustrate, the funds allocated for ground maintenance from the government do not cover even the basic expenses like regular mowing, let alone addressing issues such as turf replacement or upgrades, playground soft-fall improvements, and essential tree maintenance. We express our deep appreciation for the support as the contributions also go towards Literacy and Numeracy programs, as well as our specialist programs like Science and Media. If you haven't made your contribution yet, we encourage you to contact the office to either make a full payment or discuss organising a payment plan.

Karoo PS Community

Our wonderful Karoo PS community is growing again! It is with great excitement that I can share that another member of our staff is expecting a new member into their family in June - Mr Josh Edwards. We wish you so much joy at such a special time and can't wait to meet your new addition!

Have a wonderful week and I look forward to seeing you around the school!

Courtney Hoffmann

Acting Principal

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