Newsletter 9th February 2022
Principal's Message
Welcome Back!
It was lovely to see everyone start school last week. It was a little difficult to easily recognise everyone in their masks but thank you all for the way you all helped out by following the COVID-19 requirements (wearing masks indoors and when you couldn’t socially distance outdoors) of that time, especially keeping your classroom visits short and sweet. As you will know, now that we are at Level 1 in the high caseload environment, parents are no longer allowed to enter classrooms.
We are maintaining the following:
- Increased cleaning
- Hand hygiene
- From Year 7 to adults – must wear a mask indoors (teachers can remove this to teach)
- Any parent visiting schools regularly (more than once a week) to work/volunteer must show proof of vaccination and sign in at the office. This does NOT apply to dropping off and picking up your children
- 1.5m distancing outside or wear a mask if this is not possible
- Drop offs and pick-ups outside the classroom. Year 1-6 children must wait in the quadrangle if they arrive at school before 8:30am. Please note, children are welcome at school at 8:15am when we are able to supervise them – but not before.
- Pickups at the end of the day for KP students is in the early childhood area outside the classrooms – if an older sibling, or someone you have not listed as a contact, is to collect your child then you must write a letter to the teacher providing your permission for this to occur (including the names of the people able to collect).
We are reviewing the new operational guidelines for this COVID phase and so we will let you know more of our plans once we have had time to digest the guidelines.
Online Capability at Home Survey
In the event of a lockdown we must be prepared to pivot to online learning, if necessary. For this reason, we ask you to complete the survey, linked below, to let us know your online capability at home. It is vital we receive a response from each home so that we can make plans for supporting families to the best of our ability, at short notice. LINK HERE
Classes
We welcome all new and returning students and staff. The class structures are as follows.
Years/Subjects | Classrooms | Teachers |
Kindy | K1 | Cate Smith |
Kindy | K2 | Kim White |
Kindy (Vista Street) | K3 | Emma Williams |
Pre-primary | P1 | Naomi Johns & Jo Doyle |
Pre-primary | P2 | Stephanie Dixon & Vicki Van Dongen |
Pre-primary | P3 | Jemma Marris & Meredith Brown |
Year 1 | R1 | Debb Dellar & Sheree Ramsay |
Year 1 | R2 | Kate Dash |
Year 1 | R3 | Marija Zavodja |
Year 1/2 | R4 | Sheree Ramsay & Megan Mehnert |
Year 2 | R5 | Emily Hasson |
Year 2/3 | R6 | Karen Bernic |
Year 3 | R8 | Elliott Fitts |
Year 3 | R9 | Siobhan Bushen |
Year 4 | R10 | Di Filmer |
Year 4/5 | S1 | Rhonda Skinner |
Year 5 | S2 | Maria Andrews |
Year 6 | S3 | Jack Powers |
Year5/ 6 | S4 | Ashley Griffiths (temporarily Sharmila Smith) |
Library | Library | Vanessa Rankin Hume |
Science | R7 | Elise Pedley |
Japanese (Year 3-6) | R7 | Margo Whittle |
Music | Music | Lynette Dewing |
Phys Ed | Undercover area | Raema Stanford |
Art | Art | Tracey Carpenter & Natalie Bennett |
Maths Enrichment | Library | Elise Pedley |
Level 3 relief | various | Claire Bliznou |
Assemblies
Our first assembly, run by the Student Councillors, was held today over the PA system (accompanied by digital presentations). The student councillors introduced themselves to the school. Children remained in their classrooms as we are not able to gather as a school, or mix different cohorts of students. The Faction Captains will introduce themselves at the next assembly held over the PA and Vice Captains will do likewise the following one after that. Generally, we have a Wednesday 9am PA assembly once a fortnight. Unfortunately, due to the requirements of this COVID phase we are unable to host parents.
See Saw
SeeSaw is the classroom communication app that we will be using. It is vital that parents download the “family” version of this app so that they can receive communications from their child’s class teacher, if they haven’t already done so (many people will have used this last year). Do not download the ‘class’ app. Just download the ‘family’ if you haven’t already.
Seesaw works well on any computer or device. Bookmark the website app.seesaw.me on your computer and download the Seesaw Family app on your phone or tablet. |
Updating SZapp and Lunch Order Subscriptions
Just a reminder that you will need to update your child(ren)’s classes on the school app, SZapp, and the online School Lunches Online site. On the SZapp app you go into Manage and unselect the old classes and select the new classes. If you order your child’s lunch from School Lunches Online, please ensure that you update his/her classroom details on their website so that their lunch can be delivered to them.
Consent 2 Go (not an app – you will receive emails)
Please ensure that you have responded to the ‘invitation’ to update your child’s information on the new Consent 2 Go platform and provide permission for the third party apps and online services we wish to use with your children. If you need a new email ‘invitation’ to be sent to you, please contact the front office on 6436 8448 and we will be happy to send that to you. You will be given further opportunities throughout the year to update/confirm your child’s information on Consent 2 Go prior to any class excursion or at any time you wish.
We now ask you to make payments online through Consent 2 Go for any school event your child is to be involved in. This enables you to give consent for your child to attend the event and pay for it at the same time.
Contributions and Charges
The Contributions and Charges for 2022 are linked below. We are now accepting payment at the front office. We are not doing upfront payments, parents that have credit from 2021 would have received a letter to ascertain what they would like to do with that credit. If you have not returned this form please do so at your earliest convenience. We now offer online payments through Consent 2 Go for all excursions and 'incursions'. This will mean you can arrange this payment at the time of giving your consent for your child to participate in the event.
Term Planner
We no longer produce a one-page Term Planner document. Instead you can find our calendar on the website or the SZapp. It is a great idea to subscribe to the calendar so that it can sync all activities to your online calendar, and automatically update information as sometimes event details change.
SkillsBank
We really appreciate all the work our parents do for our school: P&C, School Board, classroom help etc. We know that there is a wealth of expertise within our parent community. If you are willing to provide your expertise to the school, when needed, we would love to know about it. Please consider completing and returning one of our SkillsBank forms so that we are aware of what you are willing to offer.
Safe Cycling
As you know, we do not permit anyone to ride scooters or bicycles on school grounds. We do not have any jurisdiction outside the school gates though, but have had a number of reports of students riding through pedestrians or darting out onto roads without looking. Please discuss road rules and etiquette with your children if they ride scooters or bikes, to ensure everyone is safe.
Pedestrians Accessing the Kiss and Wave Drive Through Gates
We encourage all parents and children to use the pedestrian gates to access the school, rather than the gates used by cars to drive through the kiss and wave. Apart from holding up traffic, this can be unsafe for children especially, who don’t always have the ability to process the traffic information in a timely manner.
Family Talking Point
Births
Over the last couple of months three of our staff have enlarged their families with the addition of a baby boy to each.
New Staff 2022
Welcome to our new staff and, to our returning staff, welcome back.
Left to right. Pre Primary 1 Class - Naomi Johns, Room 3 - Marija Zavodja, Senior Room 1 - Rhonda Skinner and Education Assistant - Brooke Moro. Welcome ladies!
Values and Honour Awards
Creativity
Discovering the power of imagination! Encouraging original thought, curiosity and daring to see things in new ways. Identifying your own special strengths.
Sports News
Welcome back to school. Please ensure that all students have a hat, water bottle and appropriate footwear for PE lessons. If your child is unable to participate in a PE lesson can you please let me know by email Raema.Stanford@education.wa.edu.au or via your classroom teacher?
Edu-dance
Edu-dance commences this Thursday or Friday for all students from Pre-primary to Year 6. Please make sure you have completed Consent2Go and the online payment. Concert times will be published later in the term. Concerts will be on Thursday 7th and Friday 8th April.
Faction Swimming Carnival
The carnival is on Thursday 10th March. Invited Year 3 students who have passed Stage 5 and all Year 4 to 6 students will attend. Permission notes and payment will be via Consent2Go.
Teacher - Raema Stanford
Library News
If you have an excess of shopping bags at home, please send them to the library.
We need spare library bags, for students who forget to bring their own bag to library.
Thank you
Music News
Junior Choir Because of Covid restrictions and new guidelines, we are not able to combine class groups. We are, therefore, unable to run our Junior Choir rehearsals. There will be no Junior Choir practise on Wednesday mornings until further notice. I'm sorry, there will be a lot of disappointed Year 3 & 4 students.
Senior Choir Rehearsals will continue in an altered format (via Zoom from their classrooms).
School Band Rehearsals will continue each Friday morning from 8.00am - 9.00am. The Band can continue to rehearse because it is a small group of Year 6 students.
Teacher - Lynette Dewing
School Board
School Board Elections - Nominations Open
The School Board will be meeting twice a term - on the third and ninth Wednesday of each term at 5:30pm. Brendan Joss is the current chair of the school board. There are some vacancies on the board this year. If you are interested in nominating yourself, please complete the attached nomination form and return it to the school by Thursday 24th February. Attached is also an information sheet which gives potential nominees an overview of the board and how it runs. Below is a list of functions of the board as outlined in the Department’s policy. Please note – all Board members are now required to give consent for the Department of Education to undertake a National Police History Check into their backgrounds.
The functions of the school board are:
1 to take part in:
- a) establishing and reviewing from time to time, the school’s objectives, priorities and general policy directions;
- b) the planning of financial arrangements necessary to fund those objectives, priorities and directions;
- c) evaluating the school’s performance in achieving them; and
- d) formulating codes of conduct for students at the school;
2 to determine in consultation with students, their parents and staff a dress code for students when they are attending or representing the school;
3 to promote the school in the community;
4 to approve:
- a) charges and contributions for the provision of certain materials, services and facilities;
- b) extra cost optional components of educational programmes;
- c) items to be supplied by a student for use in an educational programme; and
- d) any agreements or arrangements for advertising or sponsorship in relation to the school;
5 to provide advice to the principal of the school on:
- a) a general policy concerning the use in school activities of prayers, songs and material based on religious, spiritual or moral values being used in a school activity as part of religious education; and
- b) the implementation of special religious education;
6 with the approval of the Minister, or the Minister’s delegate the Director General, or sub-delegates the Deputy Director General, Schools or Regional Executive Directors for government schools in their regions to:
- a) take part in the selection of, but not the appointment of, the school principal or any other member of the teaching staff.
The board cannot:
1 intervene in the educational instruction of students;
2 exercise authority over teaching staff or other persons employed at the school;
3 control or manage the school unless the intervention is by way of performing a function prescribed for incorporated councils or boards (see section 3.3- Incorporated councils or boards); or
4 intervene in the management or operation of a school fund.
The council or board must comply with any conditions imposed on it by the Minister pursuant to section 130(3)(c) of the School Education Act 1999, and any directions issued by the Minister pursuant to section 135(1) of the School Education Act.
An induction process is provided for all new members. If you have any questions about the function of the board or what is expected, please email the principal at Kensington.ps@education.wa.edu.au
You may wish to check out our website https://kensingtonps.wa.edu.au
Click on "Our Community" then "School Board"
P & C News
"Kids are back to school, and while we spend a lot of time with them during the holidays, they might have been getting a little more screen time than normal over the break.
We'll be sharing tips and advice from the Fathering Project all year, and we thought this podcast on navigating technology and screen time would be a good way to kick off 2022.
Wishing all the best to our Kensington Dads and Father Figures this year, looking forward to seeing you at a DUCKs event soon."
To listen to the podcast please click on this link:
Managing children's technology, screen and gaming time - The Fathering Project
Movie Night
Saturday’s movie night was a great success and a lovely evening. It was great to see so many families attend. Thank you to the P&C for organising this event and to the many helpers. The burgers looked like the best ones in town and I believe they tasted even better. It was also a nice opportunity for the City of South Perth to bestow Dave Mundy with his Community Citizen of the Year medallion and certificate. Thanks to Geoff Baker, MLA and Mayor of South Perth, Greg Milner, for presenting this honour.
Containers for Change
We have a wheely bin and/or a wool bale in the quadrangle where you can deposit containers, help the environment and fundraise for the school all at once. We hope, with sufficient support from everyone, to expand this program.
Community News
DO EITHER OF THESE SCOOTERS BELONG TO YOUR FAMILY?
If any of these items belong to your children please see the Phys Ed Teacher Raema Stanford. These items were left over from last year.
Perth Goju Karate teaches karate classes in your local area.
A special offer for the school’s students - 4 WEEKS FREE beginners karate lessons!
Classes are held after school and are a great way for children of all ages to learn self-defense in a fun and safe environment.
We also teach classes for teens and adults and they are fantastic for fitness, wellbeing and of course, self-defense.
Classes continue over the school holidays (with a short break over the Christmas period) which makes it perfect for the kids who are looking to try something on the holidays.
Karate has many benefits which include confidence, respect, discipline and fitness.
Call now to take advantage of this 4 week trial.
Sensei Johnny Moran - 0402 830 402