Kings Park Campus Principal Message
Kings Park Principal Report
NAPLAN
We are in the midst of two weeks of this National testing program to assess the Literacy and Numeracy skills of our year 7 and year 9 students. Thank you to our Campus Leaders Brad Rankin and Pam Farrelly for organising the complicated process of making sure we collect this very important data over the testing period.
Attitudes to School Survey
We completed this important student opinion survey with all of our students on April 29. The data that is aggregated from this survey and provided back to us helps us highlight areas of concern and allows us to monitor improvements in student opinion that we seek through our strategic plans. Our Team Leaders are following up with all students who missed out on completing the survey by the end of this week to make sure our participation rate is as high as possible and the data is as comprehensive as possible.
Resilient Youth Survey
All the students at our campus recently completed this survey also. Sponsored by the Brimbank City Council it will provide important student wellbeing information for both the Council and the school. We have previously used the ACER 6 STAR Survey in 2019 to establish some baseline data particularly focussed on evaluating our students’ resilience. After 2020 and along with the continuous upheaval of the pandemic we welcome any information concerning our students’ mental health and wellbeing.
Athletics Carnival
Well done to all the students who competed and the staff who facilitated a great day at Keilor Athletics Oval on April 30. C and L Teams from Kings Park combined together to win the carnival which was a pleasing result!
Promotion/ Progress Panels
Following an evaluation of the academic progress of all students, we are currently meeting with students and their families to discuss concerns with any whose progress is indicating problems with attendance, engagement, effort and behaviour. The intention of these meetings is to establish intervention and improvement plans that will result in satisfactory progress.
Exams Coming Up
As we approach the second half of this term, we have only a few weeks before year 10 and year 9 exams commence. The intention of these is for students to have some real experience of learning how to cope and achieve in these pressure packed situations that become so important later in a secondary student’s time at school.
New staff
This term we welcomed our new maintenance officer, Craig Toole. He has started brilliantly and is making a concerted effort to improve our environment. Leaving us this week is Annette Farrugia who is leaving to take up a Compass Manager role at another school. We have almost completed the processes of hiring a new student attendance and events officer to replace her. Later in the month we will welcome a new school nurse, Tanya Hempshall. Tanya will be with us part-time, sharing her office with Tluang and Abraham (Community Liaison Officers).
Pre-service teachers
We have four pre-service teachers with us currently with methods from maths to geography.
Camps Coming Up
Approximately eighty year 8 students are attending camp at Campaspe Downs this week and another forty or so year 7 students are attending camp next week. We hope all students bring plenty of warm clothing and have a fantastic time doing all the team challenges and group activities!
Building and Grounds
Repairs to the back fence are scheduled for mid next week.
Tutor Program Initiative
We have expanded our additional tutoring staff this term, with Evatt Kyriacou, Joannne Apted, Lauren Basil, Lachlan Friend, Lisa Fusella, and most recently Asir Tutunca joining us to help our students this term. We now have 70 classes which receive ‘in-class’ tutoring support as well as 21 classes which are continuing the ‘withdrawal’ model of support (down from 50 in term 1). There are now over 350 students receiving in-class support which will rise when we fully deploy all our tutors as well as over 150 senior students receiving tutoring in individual subjects. We are still trying to employ two more tutors in mathematics.
Pacifica Program
This weekly program continues this year for a group of year 8 and year 9 with an ‘Islander’ cultural background. Charis Mentoring meets our students in the library on a Friday. This program uses the strengths of Pasifika Cultures to strengthen cultural identity, build resilience and support educational engagement. There will be a new program with Charis Mentoring interm 3 and 4 (more details later).
Victorian High Ability Program
Term 2 we continue working with the year 7 students and their Virtual Schools Victoria enrolments. Term 1 was with year 8 students. For both groups this term we have an incursion/masterclass where we will take control of the Tallarook Observatory radio telescope for our own observations.
BYOD
SYDENHAM 2021
Mr Mark Nugent and Mr Lance Petherick
Campus Principals