Newsletter 27th November 2024

Principal's Message

Parent Helper Morning Tea & Christmas Concert

Thank you to everyone who attended this morning’s Christmas Concert and Parent Helper Morning Tea.  If you missed the concert, there is a repeat performance tonight at 7pm.  Congratulations to Mrs Dewing, her team of helpers and the Junior Choir for a wonderful performance.  We are very grateful for their huge efforts.  I can’t wait to see it all again.

I wish to take the opportunity to thank all our parents and volunteers who have helped at the school over this very busy year. As they say, it takes a village to raise a child.  We have a very active and engaged village.

2025 Booklists

You will find the 2025 booklist information on the SZapp app under the tile called ‘Booklists’ (bottom left button on the app) or on our website at the following link:  Booklists - Kensington Primary School (kensingtonps.wa.edu.au)

2025 Contributions and Charges Information

Please find the Contributions and Charges information for 2025 in the flyer below.

Student Semester Reports

The Department has provided clarification of the requirements for end-of-semester reports. In light of this information, we are reviewing our school’s assessment and reporting plan.

The Department has worked with the School Curriculum and Standards Authority to clarify the following:

• There is a requirement to provide an overall teacher comment, the content of which is determined by the school.
• There is no requirement to provide learning area comments (including in English and Mathematics).
• There is no requirement to provide grades at the strand or sub-strand level.
• There is no requirement to provide a learning area comment or attachments, such as photos, for students with special educational needs. Reporting for these students aligns with the individual education plan that was developed with parents.

Kensington Primary School will align with these requirements.  The main difference you will see is that there will be no English and Maths comments.  The overall comments will still be provided along with grades for each learning area.  English and Maths will still have grades for each sub-strand/learning area component (English – Reading &Viewing, Writing and Speaking & Listening; Maths – Number & Algebra, Measurement & Geometry and Statistics & Probability – the latter being for older year levels only).

A link to your child’s semester reports was emailed out to you yesterday Tuesday (10^th December).  Please remember to download it and save it in your computer files (or print it out) as the link is only active for 4 weeks.  This might be particularly important for parents of Year 5 students who start looking at scholarships and high school enrolments for 2026.  While we can send you another link later, it is an additional impost on our busy office staff.

So, please remember to save a copy of these reports to your computer as the link will disappear after a month.

Gifts

We have a very generous community, and the staff are very grateful for the generosity shown at this time of year to them.  Please be aware though, that staff cannot accept gifts from individuals valued at over $100 or from groups valued at over $500.  We don’t want to appear unappreciative, but it is DoE policy, so staff will have to return any gifts valued above these amounts.  Please don’t see these amounts as a target though, as it is extremely rare that this is ever an issue.

School Development Days - 2025

The Board will review these on Monday, and you will be notified of these next week so that you can plan holidays etc.

Foyer Display - S1

Persuasive writing
Letters to the Principal 

What's Coming Up

Pixie Post

Next week the Student Council will be starting the Pixie Post deliveries for students who wish to exchange Christmas cards.  The cards will be delivered next week and up until, and including, Wednesday 11th December.  The Pixie Post mailbox will be located outside the library for students to post their cards.

What's Been Happening

Year 5 Student Elections for 2025

The Year 5 students who nominated for an elected student council position in 2025 presented their speeches on Monday 11th November (Student Council) and Tuesday 12^th November (factions).  Voting followed immediately after.  The results of these elections will be announced on the last day of term.  All Year 6 students will be given a leadership position of some kind in 2025.

Holiday Works

We have planned some site works to take place over these holidays.  This will include some renovations to the early childhood playground and painting of the classrooms around the quadrangle (Rooms 1-10).

Art Prizes

We are thrilled to announce the winners of this year’s Art Awards. Isabel Y has won the Kensington P&C Art Award. Her artwork will be hung in the school office.  Jonah S has won the People’s Choice Award. 

A big congratulations to both Isabel and Jonah for their remarkable achievements. 

School Board

The final School Board meeting will be held on Monday 2^nd December.  The Board will be looking at setting the school business plan targets, the results of the Wellbeing & Engagement Census, the Pupil Free days (School Development Days) for 2025, the proposal to invite more therapy/wellbeing dogs onsite and the finances.

Containers for Change