Dear Families,

A HUGE hello to all our families and friends. The past fortnight has been hugely successful and full of fun, laughter and learning for our students at Kismet Park Primary School. I am pleased to share with our community that our gorgeous students continue to focus on being kind, curious and caring. They are well supported by the adults in our community and I thank all our families, staff and friends for working together to ensure our students receive the best possible care and education.

School Staff Survey

I am pleased to share with our community our 2022 School Staff Survey results. All staff in Victorian State Government Schools have an opportunity to participate in these surveys annually. One of our goals this year was to improve our overall School Climate.

Research has demonstrated that in schools where there is a high degree of collective efficacy, collective focus on student learning and a collective responsibility for student gains, teachers display a positive attitude to professional development, exhibit deeper implementation of evidence-based instructional strategies, have a stronger focus on academic pursuits and student behaviour improves.

I am proud of our collective focus on student learning, this includes the learning in the social/emotional area and the high levels of trust our staff have in colleagues, students, and parents. These results are promising and show that we are moving in a positive direction.

Prep Enrolments

Our prep enrolments continue to slowly grow, and we are currently sitting at 52 preps for the 2022 school year. This means that there will be three prep grades in 2023. Next Thursday 24th of November our first prep transition session will occur from 9:30am – 11:00am.

Class Structures for 2023 and staffing UPDATE

I have worked extensively with our consultative team and at whole staff to put in place our grade structures for 2023. The model has an average of 20 students per grade in P-2 and an average of 23 students per grade in 3-6. The goal was to maintain straight grades wherever possible.

Preps - x3
Year 1 - x3
Year 2 – x4
Year 3 – x2
Year 4 – x2
Year 3/4 composite – x1
Year 5 – x3
Year 6 – x3

We are still in the recruiting process and finalising our teachers for the 2023 school year. Kismet Park is fortunate that we have almost secured all our teachers for the 2023 school year. There are several schools in our region and other regions who still have anywhere between five and twelve teachers to recruit, thankfully we are not one of those schools and we are fortunate to be in this enviable position.

We will begin to share with our more vulnerable students, the name of their 2023 teacher, a week ahead of the time that it is known for all students. At present we are working through this extensive process. I am thanking all in our community, ahead of time, for your patience and understanding with this process.

Specialist Programs for 2023

We will have four specialist programs in 2023 – Japanese, Performing Arts, Physical Education and Visual Arts.

I am thrilled to be in a position where we will be bringing back our Visual Arts program to our students. The program will be taught by a highly experienced, dedicated, and talented Visual Arts teacher.

The Tutor Learning Initiative will run next year with students supported and extended in both English (reading) and Mathematics (number). In 2023 a teacher will work three days a week to support and extend students in reading and a teacher will work 2 days a week to support and extend students in number.

Year 3 Camp to CAMPASPE DOWNS

Our Year 3 students enjoyed a two-day, one night camping trip this past week to CAMPASPE DOWNS near Kyneton. I visited the children and staff for dinner on Monday night and a sleep over. From my observations it was a great experience for students with some students requiring more support than others with the change in routine.

Our students were well supported by the following staff who attended the camp: Sue Hooper, Kristy Hermelin, Meagan O’Sullivan, Felicity Dobson, Gennetta Arthrall, Sam Adam – Cooper Adam’s dad. A huge thank you to our staff and parent volunteer.

Nicky Gallus our school chaplain visited as did Donna Matthews on Monday afternoon and had dinner with our campers, which was lovely.

Fun Colour Run Volunteers

I look forward to today’s Fun Colour Run activities and I hope that our students are kind when they aim the slime at our teachers!!!

I am in awe of our PCA and all our wonderful volunteer helpers who have made this experience a memorable one for our children and wider community. This is another fun fundraising event that brings joy to our community whilst raising money for our school.

A HUGE thank-you from the heart to our PCA team, led by Tara Chandrasegran. In addition, a very special thank-you to Mrs Felicity Dobson who is a quiet achiever and constantly works in the background to ensure these events are coordinated between parents/carers and our staff. Thank – you Felicity, you are a champion!

I am thanking all our volunteers in the list below for their time, work, and energy. Their collective dedication and work are greatly appreciated by us all.

Kate Topp
Tara Charndrasegran
Kylie Hodor
Louise Cashen
Serenity Jenkins
Katherine Thorn
Kylie Nunlist
Briony VanBerlo
Deb Matthews
Renee Codd
Caroline Jones
Olivia Voidis
Adam Bremner
Kim Roberts
Toni Schilling
Ashleigh Elliott
Selina Pattison
Rachael Lazzari
Tiffany Deeble
Larissa Otteraa
Jessica Collins
Jackie Elliott
Jayde Lambert
Tanya Sheehan
Kerryanne Macarcio
Heather Bennett
Imogen Murtagh
Megan Cook
Karla Anderson
Jayde Perryman
Hayley Kowalczyk

Edumarking Line marking – UPDATE

I am happy to share that we have engaged a company called Edumarking to provide us with professional line marking of games/activities on our concrete surfaces. This will provide our students with engaging games/activities during recess and lunchtimes. In addition, the company will repaint our Basketball courts, our dual Netball/Basketball courts, and our Four-Square outline. In the next few weeks, the company will come out, weather permitting to do the line marking on our already existing surfaces, refreshing these.

In the January holiday period most of the activities will be line marked with the school logo and some other games/activities that require templates to be done later in January/February, once the students are back at school. This is due to the wait time regarding templates.

The total cost of the line marking for 10 activities/games, large school logo plus the repainting of the courts and four square is $29,400, with a 10-year guarantee. The company has included a large template of our school logo to be painted on the concrete tile towards the entry to our office building. The company has agreed to a 50 percent payment in January once the works are completed and then the other 50 percent by the end of the 2023 school year.

Thank-you to our wonderful PCA who have raised a substantial amount of money this year to make this project a viable option for us to pursue and commit to. Monies raised this year and some that is raised next year will go towards this project.

Sports Uniform

I am excited to share that Bev Keenan, David Bigger and Nicholas Linton have been working on the design of our new sports uniforms. The team have sought input from our JSC representatives in terms of colour and design. The team are currently getting some quotes and seeking some mock up designs based on input from students and staff.

We are looking at a core sports uniform that will consist of a polo shirt that students can wear to general school sporting events such as athletics day. In addition, the team are working on the design and pricing of the following sports uniforms: football, soccer, netball, basketball.

Money raised from fund raising this year and possibly some from next year will go towards funding these for our students.

COVID Rapid Antigen Test Kits

Our school has many Rapid Antigen Test Kits we can give to families. If you would like to have a couple in your home in case any of your family members begins experiencing COVID like symptoms, please feel free to drop into our front office and our friendly office staff will ensure you get one.

I sincerely hope that all our families continue to remain safe, well and happy.

Warmest Regards,

Kathy Cvitkovic

Principal (Acting)

‘Building the foundations for success and happiness’.

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