School News
Superhero Mara 31st July 2023
Mara was chosen for the way she displays the school values of Excellence and Care. However, she embodies all the school values daily through the effort she applies and the positive choices she makes.
This Superhero is an absolute star student. Mara is incredibly hard-working, always keen to take on a new challenge and achieve success by finding creative ways to learn.
Mara has an incredibly curious mind, seeking new knowledge in all areas. She is also very creative; often entertaining her teachers and peers with a new creation or musical melody that she's been working on.
Her vibrant and positive personality shines brightly, making Mara a joy to be around and a friend to many.
This is due to her kind and caring nature, where she is always looking out for others and showing empathy, even if she isn't feeling her best.
Mara always surprises her teachers with the compassion she has, especially for such a young person.
A Grade 2 student, Mara should be commended for the effort that she puts in to excel both academically and socially.
Everyone in Studio 4 was so excited for this week’s extremely deserving Superhero.
Congratulations Mara, we hope you had a great week!
Superhero Etta 24th July 2023
This week’s superhero will be receiving their award for Persistence.
When Etta's teacher realised that she had never been a Superhero, she was truly amazed, as she probably could and should have received the award years ago.
Etta brings a positive attitude and a sense of fun to the classroom every day and has a real love of learning and always strives to improve. She is an amazing student to teach and have in the classroom, as she is always curious to learn new things and strives to do her best and achieve her goals.
Etta shows persistence, and works extremely hard to make improvements, by listening attentively, trying to be as neat as possible when presenting her work, staying in her learning bubble, completing her reading diary every night, or just being a nice and caring friend.
Etta also makes her classroom a better place with the sense of fun and laughter she brings every day and the way she continuously makes her friends and teacher laugh, often without meaning to.
An example of this is when Etta asked her teacher last week if she could use a rhinoceros to help improve the vocabulary in her writing. Her teacher and the class were puzzled until we realised, Etta was looking for a thesaurus, not a rhinoceros!
A huge congratulations to Studio 9s soccer superstar,
Congratulations Etta, we hope you had a great week!
Classroom Awards
Congratulations to the following students for receiving classroom awards: Archer, Arlo, Cameron, Cindy, Aya, Alex, Sunday, Ethan, Vera, Huddson, Dylan, Haylie, Amelie, Santino, Oliver, Ivy, Arno, Oscar, Riley, Ella, Maximus, Lincoln, Chase, River, Kaiden, Kaleb, Daisy, Ashleigh, Saoirse.
P.E Award
Congratulations to Quinn for receiving the P.E Award.
Art Award
Congratulations to Sonny for receiving the Art Award.
3/4 Unit News
MS Readathon
Wowee! What a great first day of the MS Readathon.
We have already raised over $1000 and our school was sitting second on the fundraising leaderboard last night!
Keep track of the KPS reading and fundraising efforts by following this link:
https://www.msreadathon.org.au/so/84922/4940
Thank you to everyone who has signed up so far, there's still plenty of time for those who still want to.
Remember to link to the 'Kyneton Primary' school page when you do. We currently have 48 students who have signed up, which is absolutely amazing!
Check out the online video here on how to log your child’s reading online. If you log a book before midnight Friday 4 August you’ll go into the draw to win 1 of 6 Smiggle prize packs!
You can also check out their other prizes here: https://www.msreadathon.org.au/about/competitions
Happy Reading everyone!
Plastic Free August at KPS
For the month of August, the Gardening and Sustainability group are encouraging families to reduce the amount of rubbish/waste/packaging brought into the school in lunchboxes. Each studio each day will record lunchboxes free of any unrecycabled packaging and the studio at the end of the month with the highest tally will be awarded a free dress day as a prize. This is the 3rd time the school has organised this and it is so good to see a reduction in packaging. Where possible, use reusable containers or recycabled packaging rather than single use. This website has many great suggestions on what you can do to make a difference. https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/.
KPS Towel Drive
More Canteen Helpers Still Required
We are still in desperate need of canteen helpers on Thursdays and Fridays.
We have a very small number of fabulous parents that assist in the canteen but it is just not enough to have consistent help.
The shifts required are as follows:
Thursdays - 1 parent helper required from 12pm - 2pm
Fridays - 2 parent helpers required. One from 11am - 2pm and another from 12pm - 2pm
Please email the school at kyneton.ps@education.vic.gov.au if you can help. All volunteers will need to show a valid a Working With Childrens Check and complete a short OHS Induction before commencing.
We really appreciate your help to enable us to continue to run our wonderful canteen.
2024 Foundation Enrolments
We are working through our enrolment applications for our 2024 Foundation students. If you have a child you wish to enrol for 2024 please drop into the office to collect an enrolment pack. These can also be sent home with your current student if you wish.
Rear Gate Issues
As many of you would be aware we have had problems with the rear gate not opening automatically. If the gate is not open during the hours of 8:45am – 9:15am and 3:15pm – 3:45pm please use the community path to enter via the kindergarten or Edgecombe Street gate.
We ask that adults and children please do not force the gate open as this causes the arm to bend which will cause further damage to the gate. We thank you for your patience and understanding.
Current COVID-19 Advice
The latest COVID-19 Advice for schools. Below is a summary of the most important pieces of information.
COVIDSafe measures for schools
COVIDSafe measures have changed but all Victorian government schools are required to continue to implement important practices to reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Schools must continue to take the important steps of ensuring air purifiers are in use, external ventilation is maximised, good personal hygiene is encouraged and face masks continue to be made available for staff, students and visitors who wish to wear them.
Rapid antigen testing
It is recommended that rapid antigen tests (RATs) are used by students and staff:
- If you have symptoms of COVID-19 infection, no matter how mild
- If you are a household or close contact of someone who has COVID-19
- If you are a social contact of someone who has COVID-19.
The Department of Health recommends that all Victorians should report their positive RAT result to the Department of Health online, or by calling 1800 675 398. Students (or their parents) should also report a positive result to their school, either through the COVID Test portal or by phone or written notification.
Face masks
Current advice from the Victorian government is available at Face masks.
Staff and students who wish to wear a face mask should be supported to do so, and schools should continue to make face masks available for staff, students and visitors.
The Department of Health recommends that masks should be worn by a person who is a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 when leaving home.
Additionally, the Department of Health recommends that masks should be worn by a person who has COVID-19 for at least 7 days after a positive test when they need to leave home.
Infection prevention and control
All staff, students and visitors to schools should practise good hand hygiene, particularly on arrival to school, before and after eating, after blowing their nose, coughing, sneezing or using the toilet. Staff should direct or supervise young students where required.
Managing a confirmed case of COVID-19 in schools
The Department of Health recommends that a person who tests positive to COVID-19 report that result to their employer, school and household. Where a student or staff member is identified as a positive case, the following steps should be taken:
Identification and Notification
- Parents/carers should complete the Student COVID-19 COVID Test Portal if a student tests positive to COVID-19 (via a PCR or rapid antigen test). Where a parent/carer informs the school by phone or written notification.
- Students who report a positive result are recommended to isolate for a minimum of 5 days and not attend school until their symptoms have resolved. Students who isolate as a result of a positive COVID-19 test should be supported in the same way as students with an extended absence due to illness or injury, with learning materials provided to support their continued learning.
- There is no longer a requirement for principals to inform the school community of a positive case associated with the school.
School Gates and Opening Times
Just a few reminders and potentially new information for our new families. In the morning all gates will be open for access to the school site at 8:45 as this is when staff supervision in the yard commences. No students are allowed onsite until this time.
In the afternoon all gates will be open at 3:15 for access to the school site. Access to the office during the school day is via the pedestrian gate on Edgecombe St.
The new ramp/path between the school and the kindergarten is now operational. Access to the school grounds using the ramp is between the hours of 8:45 – 3:40. On either side of these hours, the bottom of the ramp will be chained off. Access outside of these hours needs to be arranged through the school office or a staff member by calling 5422 1855.A reminder to all members of the school community the staff car park is not to be used to walk between the school and the kindergarten for safety reasons. Now that the ramp/path is operational the pedestrian gate next to the car park gates should be used following the path, crossing the road in front of the boom gate using the marked pedestrian crossing and then down the ramp.
* Please do not access the school site at any time via the staff car park for safety
reasons.
* Please do not park in the kinder carpark unless it is your kinder day and you are a kinder family.
Parent Payments
Thank you to the families who have paid the $130 Parent Payment.
These funds are used for –
- Curriculum Contributions – items and activities that students use, or participate in, to access the Curriculum.
- Other Contributions – for non-curriculum items and activities such as memberships, subscriptions to programs and affiliations.
- Extra Curricular Items – the Kyneton Primary School Yearbook
If you would still like to pay for these please use one of the following methods -
- EFT - at the office or by phone
- Cash - at the office
- Direct Bank Transfer - BSB 063-000 Account No 14033609 - use your child’s name as the reference
- BPay - contact the school office for your personalised identification details
- Centrepay - use of this method is available to recipients of Centrelink payments
Please do not hesitate to contact the office for more information or for any other query you may have.
2023 Uniform
School uniforms are available for purchase online direct from A Plus Schoolwear www.aplusschoolwear.com.au
When ordering uniforms please put the studio number of your child for easier delivery.
Once uniforms arrive at school they will be sent home with your child.
Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) applications
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.
If you have a valid means-tested concession card, such as a Veterans Affairs Gold Card, Centrelink Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible. There is also a special consideration category for asylum seeker and refugee families.
Payment amounts this year are $125 for eligible primary school students. Payments are made direct to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions and sporting activities for the benefit of your child.
If you have previously applied for CSEF through our school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year, unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.
If you would like to apply for the first time, please complete the attached form or call the office to request a form.
Please return completed forms to the school office as soon as possible. A copy of the form is attached below.
We will require a copy of your valid health care card with the application.
Contact Details
There are times when we will need to contact you during a school day. It is important we have your most up to date contact details on file.
Please update these on Compass or email the school at kyneton.ps@education.vic.gov.au so we can update our records. Please include parent/carers’ name, address, phone numbers, email address and emergency contact details.
Student Attendance
If your child is sick or absent, you are required to notify the school as soon as possible on the day of absence, by logging your child’s absence using our school’s Parental Portal in Compass.
Notifying the school of your child’s absence either prior to, or on the day that they will be away, helps ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and will fulfil your legal responsibility.
Victorian government schools are required to contact parents/carers as soon as practicable on the same day of an unexplained student absence. If your child is absent on a particular day and you have not contacted the school to explain why, the absence will be marked as unexplained. It is a DET requirement that we have a reason for each child's absence.
This system also promotes daily school attendance. Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education, they learn new things every day – missing school puts them behind.
The Kyneton Primary School Attendance Policy which outlines the school’s processes and procedures for monitoring, recording and following-up of student absences is available on our website www.kynetonprimaryschool.com.au
Students Arriving Late
Students arriving late to school should come to the office, accompanied by an adult, and sign in either on the Compass Kiosk or in the late book. They will then be issued a late pass to take to class and their arrival at school will be updated on the roll. This will avoid parents/guardians receiving notification that their child is not at school when they have arrived late.
Accessing Compass
Compass is our main way of communicating with our families. It is important that parents access the Parental Portal in Compass at https://kynetonps.vic.jdlf.com.au
Using our parent portal will enable you to –
- View up-to-date class and school attendance information
- Approve or enter upcoming or past absences for your son/daughter
- Update your registered email and mobile number (used for SMS alters)
- Access information regarding upcoming events and news
- Access your child’s Semester Reports
- Book your Parent/Student/Teacher conferences
We encourage families to download the Compass App and to enable notification to ensure you receive all communications.
Please click on the “Welcome to Compass” booklets for further assistance or contact the office.