Newsletter 29th June 2022
Principal's Message
Last Day of Term and First Day Back
Just a reminder that Friday is the last day of Term 2. The first day back for students in Term 3 is Tuesday 19th July. The office is open on Monday 18th July but teaching staff and Education Assistants are not available on that day.
Lockdown Update
I understand that there have been some questions raised about why the school experienced a lockdown. I wish to reassure you that there were no intruders in the school. The children were sent back to class so that we could safely manage an incident involving students. No one was hurt.
However, it did highlight a need for additional drills and training as our responses were not all aligned. Next semester we will have some more drills so that we can all be assured things go as planned.
Attendance SMS
Next semester we plan to automatically SMS parents if their children have not attended school that day and we have not received an explanation. This will occur at 10am each day. See the information below for more details.
Student Semester Reports
Hopefully you have seen the letter I uploaded to SZapp regarding some changes to this semester’s reports due to COVID. If you haven’t had a chance to take a look, please see a copy of the letter below.
A link to your child’s semester reports was been emailed out to you yesterday, Tuesday 28th June. 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 2024. 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.
RATs
We have been given 20 RATS per student. We still have a large number of parents who have not collected their allocation. If you haven’t collected them yet, please make every effort to do so ASAP from the office. As they are marked “Keep out of reach of children” we cannot give them to our students to take home. They must be collected by an adult. Thanks to those parents who have already collected their allocation.
Kindy 2023 applications for enrolment
If your child was born between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019, you can now submit an application for enrolment for Kindy 2023. Please drop by the office to collect an application form or, alternatively, you can email kensington.ps@education.wa.edu.au and an application form can be emailed to you. Applications close on Friday, 22 July 2022.
Pre-primary 2023 applications for enrolment
Applications for enrolment have been sent home with all current Kensington kindy kids.
Please complete and return the application form to the office. You will need to provide two current proof of address documents – your most recent gas/water/electricity bill and a recent rates notice or lease agreement. You will also need to provide an Australian Immunisation Register History Statement showing your child’s current immunisation status (you can get a copy from your my.gov account). Any Family Court Orders or parenting plans registered with the Family Court should also be provided.
Please be aware that being enrolled for Kindergarten at Kensington PS does not guarantee your child a place in the Pre-primary program at this school unless your child lives in our local intake area.
Please contact the office on 6436 8448 if you have any queries.
Refund of Upfront Payments
As you are all aware, we have moved to paying for excursions online through Consent2Go and are no longer taking upfront payments.
Parents of students who had an unallocated credit remaining on their account from previous upfront payments were sent a letter last year asking them to select one of four options to disburse this credit. Thank you to all those who have returned their letter.
Can those parents who have yet to return this letter please do so ASAP, remembering to supply bank account details should you wish for this credit to be refunded to you.
Please contact the office if you would like a replacement letter or have any queries regarding this process.
Keep Our School Safe
During the holiday period, school premises are more vulnerable than usual and can become targets to a small number of offenders.
If you live near the school or are passing by, please keep an eye on our grounds for us. Listen for unusual noises; look for suspicious vehicles and notice if groups of children or teenagers are congregating around the school. Your involvement can really make a difference in preventing damage to our school. I urge you to report any suspicious activities to:
SCHOOL WATCH – 1800 177 777
POLICE – 131 444
Building Works
Over the holidays the roofing will be finished off and this will make way for the basketball courts to be upgraded and extended (and the cricket nets moved to the oval). So, while the inconvenience of the roofing works will be over (along with the need to move classes out), it will be replaced with the inconvenience of not being able to use the basketball/netball courts for a period, at some point. I am sure you will agree, though, that the temporary inconvenience is worth it for the end result. The roof is looking lovely now.
Lost and Found
A ladies grey winter coat was left on the chairs in the front office last week. Please come and see us to collect it if it is yours.
Wanted
The Student Council are looking at purchasing and installing a refrigerated water fountain in the senior block and would like a licensed plumber to quote on this. If you are such a person, or know of a reliable person who would be willing to do this, please let the office know either by phone (6436 8448) or email (kensington.ps@education.wa.edu.au).
Upcoming Events
Pyjama Day
For the first Wednesday back at school next term, the Student Council have organised a Pyjama Day to raise funds for Telethon Kids. Please wear your pyjamas to school and bring a gold coin donation for this worthy cause. Did you know that one of our students, Anisha, is a Telethon Kid?
NAIDOC
NAIDOC celebrations, as usual, will occur during the school holidays - 3rd - 10th July. We will celebrate when we retun to school next term, in the first week back. However, Room 10 and S1 introduced us to the picture book, Common Wealth by Gregg Dreise through a recitation of its poetic text at assembly today. "Passionate, yet peaceful, Common Wealth is a compelling plea for a future of truth, togetherness and respect for our nation's deep history". If you missed it, ask the children from S1 and Room 10 about it or check out the book at your local library or bookstore. It was a great lead in to NAIDOC celebrations. You might like to attend some of the public events over the holidays in preparation for learning more about NAIDOC in class and when we gather as a school on the first Thursday back next term.
What’s Been Going On at KPS
Author/Illustrator In Residence
Thank you to the P&C for again funding our annual artist in residence program. This year all our students were able to work with Kylie Howarth, an author and illustrator. We now have some very enthusiastic budding authors and illustrators. Below is a post from Kylie about her experiences at the school.
We are, indeed, fortunate to have a wonderful teacher librarian to engage and motivate our students in their reading and writing. We are also fortunate to have a P&C willing to fund visiting authors like Kylie. See the Library News section below for more details about this program.
Speak with Confidence
The City of South Perth Speak with Confidence competition preliminary rounds were held this morning. Ethan and Evita represented our school - presenting outstanding speeches with expression and poise. Ethan has progressed to the finals tonight. Congratulations to both children for earning the right to represent our school and for doing extremely well. Best wishes to Ethan for tonight's speech presentation.
Golfer
We are pleased to announce that Jonas, Year 3, played in the Primary Schools Golf Competition last week at Mandurah Country Club scoring a 61 in the 9-hole modified division. With this score he finished 6th out of 11 (Year 2 and 3) and 16th out of 30 (Year 2 to Year 6). Congratulations on such a great standing, Jonas.
Foyer Display
Green Sea Turtles
In PP2, we read the story ‘The Undersea Cleaning Spree’ to explore how plastic and other rubbish harm our oceans and marine life. We reflected on how this impacts the marine animals’ ability to live and play and discussed the different ways we can protect them. The children created green sea turtles and wrote messages about the different things we can do in the classroom and at home to be environmentally responsible and protect our oceans.
- Miss Dixon and Miss B
Honours and Values awards
Safety
Securing and protecting everyone, including our school’s reputation and our environment.
Sports News
Running Club
Running Club will recommence on the first Tuesday of next term. Keep up your running over the holidays in preparation for the cross-country carnival next term.
Proposed Faction Cross Country Program Friday July 22 2022
Parents are welcome to attend. Medallions and ribbons will be presented after each event.
The Faction shield will be presented to the winning Faction in the UCA at 2.50pm.
An event will not commence before the allocated time but may be later than the set time.
Sporting Schools
This term we have had funded coaching sessions in soccer and AFL in some of the PE lessons. Thanks to the WAFC and Football West for providing coaches. Extra equipment has also been purchased with the funding. We have secured funding for next term.
Library News
School Board
Our School Board – NOMINATIONS FOR A SIX-MONTH CASUAL PARENT REP VACANCY
The School Board will be meeting twice a term - on the third and ninth Monday of each term at 5:30pm. Simon Keen is the chair of the school board. There is a casual parent vacancy on the board this year. It is for a six-month term only. If you are interested in nominating yourself, please complete the nomination form linked below and return it to the school by Friday 1st July 2022. Linked below 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 School Board - Kensington Primary School (kensingtonps.wa.edu.au).
P & C News
We had a great turnout of about 70 Kensington Primary kids and parents for the DUCKs family event at Rockface climbing centre. The kids were eager to try out the bouldering wall while parents received an introduction to belaying. Thereafter most of the ropes were busy with kids (and a few dads) climbing, and smiling faces were to be seen everywhere.
A healthy range of food was enjoyed by the group to recharge energy levels, followed by kids exploring other parts of the Rockface centre. It was great to see everyone getting in the spirit of things, with many dads and kids, in particular, making the most of this DUCKs event to spend time doing things together and getting to know each other better. We received a lot of positive feedback from participants and the Rockface staff complimented us on how well things went. Our thanks to everyone who got involved (and a special thanks to Conrad Slee, who organised this event and wrote this article for us 😊).
Keep an eye on your WhatsApp class group messages, the school newsletter and elsewhere for the next DUCKs event. PLEASE get in touch with Justin or Conrad if you have future event ideas or wish to organise an event yourself - we will provide all the help and guidance you need.
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
Premier's Reading Challenge Festival of Words
Yagan Square will be the hub of the Premier’s Reading Challenge during the second week of the July school holidays for the Festival of Words event.
From Monday 11 July to Friday 15 July, there will be lots of free activities including immersive storytelling, a Wiggles ambulance and a photo booth connected to the giant Yagan Square screen.
Other program highlights include story time with the Lord Mayor, Basil Zempilas, a musical bus ride to Perth City Farm and drag story time at Boolar Bardip Museum Perth with Cougar Morris.
Catholic Education WA will host an autocue challenge at the State Library of WA for those who want to try their hand at being a newsreader.
For budding wizards there will be Harry Potter-inspired potions session and younger students will enjoy themed story time sessions on topics such as donuts, dinosaurs and magic.
The team from Awesome Arts will create a Story Circle in the Yagan Square Amphitheatre and you can write a love letter to your pet, a sporting hero or a family member in the festival hub.
The festival welcomes all families with students from Kindergarten to Year 10. Find event details including dates, times and locations at
