Principal's Report
WELCOME TO OUR FIRST NEWSLETTER FOR 2022!!
Starting with the End in Mind
We have made a terrific start to the year at Kilsyth Primary School. I am so proud of the great work of our students and staff who have really settled into some great learning routines this year. Something I have learnt over my time in leadership is that it is important to have good idea of where you want to finish when you begin. This way you. know which way to go. Makes sense doesn't it. It means we start with the end in mind. Sometimes this is just an idea, or a roughly thought out plan. But sometimes it is a goal. And the best way to reach a goal is to share it with others so you are accountable for it.
Here at KPS we are setting a big goal to start the year.
TWENTY ONE THOUSAND positive acknowledgements by the end of Term 4.
If we achieve that, we will have averaged over 500 acknowledgements every week. We are confident that we can achieve this, because we have already been exceeding this average! It is only the end of Week 4 and we have already filled the tree! THREE THOUSAND POSITIVE ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ALREADY IN 2022. That means an average of 750 acknowledgements each week. We are well on track to reaching our goal.
Thanks to everyone for such a great start to the year. I look forward to what lies ahead.
Introduction of AUSLAN
Those parents who have been able to join us for our school assemblies on Friday afternoons have seen some new actions as we sing our national anthem. Yes we are learning to sign as we sing (get those letters the right way around). Our students have begun learning AUSLAN with a one hour lesson each week and have already covered the basics of the alphabet and colours and moving onto to other general signs. As a school we are loving learning this new language together. Teachers, support staff and students are learning alongside each other and having a great time.
The lessons are delivered via video and practised in class. Each week we will make the "Sign Reference Sheets" available via SeeSaw so you can keep track of what your children are learning and practise at home.
New Playgrounds- YAY!!!
What fun we have had on our new playground so far this year. It has been been wonderful seeing everyone interacting and having fun as they climb, jump, spin, flip, run, hop, scramble and swing.
(even the principal has enjoyed playing on it!!)
After so many years of planning, COVID delays and then installation, we are just thrilled that our school grounds are looking so good. The lines for downball and basketball etc have been repainted and some of our garden beds have been freshly landscaped. At some stage later this term we will be holding a working bee - so watch this space!
Settle in- it's going to be a BIG year!
We know that 2022 is going to be HUGE year. It is already feeling big, with so many staff and students absent due to COVID isolation requirements, and masks are still required in primary schools and we are all feeling that routines are taking just that little bit longer to settle and feel normal. But... we are also feeling relieved that we can all be at school without worrying about lockdowns and remote learning, we are loving seeing each other every day and learning alongside our friends. We are beginning to feel fully connected again as a community and we know there are great things ahead.
Camps and Excursions are back - we are looking forward to heading out into the wide world once again. Middles are heading off to Healesville for a few days at the end of March and in June our Seniors will be experienceing the joys Melbourne has to offer as they take in the sights and sounds on our City Camp. Juniors will be having their famous Dinner/Sleepover at school later in the year. AND... there are so many excursions planned. I can't even begin to mention them all here!
Sporting Events - get ready, get set, and .... it's not quite go time, but soon we will be holding our Cross Country, and our Whole School Athletics Day. So exciting to be active again. We are loving the fact that we can invite parents along to these events either as spectators or as much valued helpers. There is even a rumour I have heard that we will hold a family Twilight Sports night before the term is out...
And then there are the learning experiences at school, in the library, in Art, in PE, in Science, lunchtime clubs, incursions, school production, and so much more.
It is going to be a BIG year at KPS and although there may be some disruptions along the way, we are ALL SYSTEMS GO!!!!
Student Voice
I am very excited to introduce you to two students from our senior school and explain their role as CHIEF EDITORS of our school newsletter. Cian F and Izzy M have agreed to take on the role of chief editor of the newsletter. For each issue they will be joined by four senior school students who will be acting as reporters, writing articles for each year level. Reporters will be interviewing students from each year level and writing articles themselves about what has been going on at KPS. This is a terrific supplement to our writing program and gives our students a real and relevant audience for their writing.
Check out the "From the Editors" page to learn more about Cian and Izzy, and have a read of the Middle School page which was written by Izzy this week.
Review
All government schools are guided by a carefully developed School Strategic Plan. Every four years we review our progress against this plan and re-assess our direction, our goals and our targets. This year is a review year for KPS. We will be seeking parent feedback in a variety of ways over this term and sharing the review process with you as go. I am very grateful to school council for their support and guidance as we make our way through this important process and continue to plan, monitor, implement and achieve our high expectations for students at our school.
Pupil Free Day and Get to Know You Night
Pupil Free Day: As a part of our review process, we will be holding a Pupil Free day on
TUESDAY 22nd MARCH
Students do not attend school on this day. In the past we have not provided onsite supervision for students whose parents are working, however we recognise that many people are returning to work at the moment and may not be able to take a day's leave to supervise their children. If you may not be able make alternative arrangements to care for your child please click the button below to indicate this to us. If we have enough interest, we will approach Camp Australia to see if they can run a program for the day. If so, this will be run on a user pays basis.
Get to Know You Night: Teachers have been spending the first few weeks of term getting to know their students, and now it's time to get to know you! (and for you to get to get to know the teachers). We will be holding our annual Get to Know You Night on
Wednesday 16th March
More details and booking instructions will be sent out via Sentral in the next week. We look forward to seeing you then.