Newsletter 24th August 2022
Principal's Message
Planning for 2023
This survey was sent out in the last newsletter, but we have only had 33 families responses. On average, it takes less than 7 minutes to complete. Please save us the time and effort it takes to ring every family by completing this survey online. This is vital information we need to plan and staff the school in 2023.
You may complete one form (see the link and QR code below) for your family. However, if you have differing plans for each of your children currently attending our school (excluding the Year 6s), please complete separate forms for each. Please return these forms to the school by Friday 2nd September. The link for this survey is at https://forms.office.com/r/RYMiXv9g63 or use the QR code below.
Smash and Grab
Today one of our parents had her car window smashed and her handbag stolen while she was doing a school drop-off. She was parked on Fourth Ave. This is not the first time this has happened from that car park area – I know of several other times this has happened in the past few years. This is very distressing. Please do not leave your bags visible in your cars as we never know who is about and watching for an opportunity.
RATs
You should have received text messages or the messages on SZapp to let you know that the free rapid antigen tests (RATs) package allocated for your child/children is ready for collection.
Each child receives an allocation of 20 RATs. This allocation supports the strategy to keep the school community COVID-19 safe. Use a RAT to test your child for COVID-19 if they have symptoms or are a household close contact. If your child is a close contact, they are permitted to attend school, as long as they receive a negative daily RAT result, remain asymptomatic, and wear a mask (Year 7 and above, not primary school).
We will be handing out the RATs as follows:
- Parents/carers can collect from their child’s class between 8:30am – 8:50am and 3-3:20pm each school day.
There will be an additional supply of RATs available from the front office if you need more.
If your child has COVID-19 symptoms, they should stay home and be tested. Please continue to notify the school if your child tests positive for COVID-19 or if they are a household close contact. For more information on testing and isolation requirements, go to the HealthyWA website.
Thank you for your continued efforts in keeping our school COVID-19 safe.
Emergency Drills
You should also have received text messages to explain that we have had both a lockdown and an evacuation drill this term. We are reviewing our procedures in light of what we have learnt. We also aim to change the alert signals now that we have the capability to store these on our PA system. Your children will learn more about these in the future.
While we do not wish to worry students, it is important that they are familiar with the procedures should there be cause to use them in the future. Staff have spoken to their students about these issues, and we encourage everyone to talk about these at home if children have any concerns.
Late Arrivals at School
As we have introduced the SMS attendance notification system, we now require any child who arrives after the siren at 8:50am (not 9am as before) to go to the office to get a late pass. We hope this will avoid parents getting a message about unexplained absences because the teacher has started their lessons and was unable to make an adjustment to the attendance records before the SMS messages go out.
Free Parent Webinars on Online Safety
The e-Safety Commissioner, Julie Inman Grant, and her staff are doing some great work to keep young people safe in the online world. I thought you may be interested in participating in one of their free webinars for parents and carers.
Upcoming Events
Week 6 is a big week. We have Book Week events such as our Book Week dress up day with our parade held this morning.
We also have massed Choir rehearsals at Churchlands SHS on Thursday afternoon.
The Year 5 sleep-over is on Friday evening.
Week 7 is also very busy with author visits for the Pre-primary students and athletics carnival events for the whole school.
In Week 8 we will be taking our annual school photos. You should have received your envelopes for ordering photos, if you wish to do so. If you haven’t received these and are interested, please let the office know. There is also an option to have family or sibling photos taken too. There are additional envelopes for this. Please ask the office if you are interested.
Our Year 6 students are off on camp between Wednesday 7th – Friday 9th September. We wish them well and know that they will have an amazing time – both challenging and fun.
Update on Events
Book Fair
Thanks to the P&C and parent volunteers for organising a fantastic Book Fair. Thank you to Giselle Fabling, a parent volunteer, and Mrs Rankin-Hume for organising this and to all the other parent volunteers for staffing the fair. The total of sales made will be revealed once everything has been finalised. Thank you to everyone that supported this fair.
Book Week - Dress Up Parade
Thanks to Mrs Rankin-Hume and all her wonderful student and staff helpers for organising a lovely play to open our parade. Thanks to Mrs Backhouse for running the parade too. A big thank you to everyone who dressed up. Everyone looked marvellous. For more information on the Book Week events, you'll have to wait for the next newsletter (7th September) where we will have more photos of students.
Foyer Display
The students in S2 studied the short novel, Black Cockatoo. It's the story of Mia, an indigenous girl, who rescues a black cockatoo and chooses to care for it, knowing it is her totem animal.
The students created wonderful storyboards depicting the plot of the story with images capturing Mia's emotions as she explores her identity, family connections and culture.
Lost Property
A distinctive set of airpods have been handed into the office. If you think these could be yours, please ring the office with a description so that they can be returned to you.
Sports News
State Cross Country
19 enthusiastic Kensington runners competed at the SSWA State Cross-country. It is quite a daunting experience with most races having 250 – 350 competitors. Well done to all our runners for a brilliant effort. Congratulations to the runners that came in the top 100 in their event: - James Yr. 5 – 5th, Ava Yr. 6 – 12th, Freddie Yr. 4 – 24th, Katya Yr. 6 -30th, Isabel Yr. 4 – 38th, Vivienne Yr. 3 - 56th, Bella Yr. 3 - 59th and Max Yr. 3 -63rd.
Faction Carnival Week
The faction carnival will be held next week, Week 7, weather permitting. Times are approximate. A full program is attached to the newsletter. Competitor lists will be on the sport notice board.
Running Club
Running Club is on each Tuesday and Friday morning on the oval from 8.00am – 8.30am. New runners always welcome. Parents of Kindy and Pre-primary students must attend with their child. Active kids learn better!
There will be no running club on the Friday of the faction carnival.
Basketball Success
Congratulations to ex-Kensington students Ava and Tamsin for representing WA in basketball at a recent interstate carnival and coming home with bronze medals. Well done, girls.
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.
Environment - Containers for Change Competition
Win cool prizes for you and your class, AND help the environment and the P&C!
The Containers For Change Competition continues. Pop your collected bottles, cartons and cans into the bins at school (near the staff room) and email a photo to kpscontainersforchange@gmail.com
Collect at least 10 eligible containers, take a photo and email to the address above.
Students can also take containers to an eligible Containers for Change donation point (e.g. Manning Markets on Saturdays and Vic Park Markets on Sunday).
Scan the QR code below or quote Scheme ID C10350959 to make sure the donation goes to KPS P&C.
Submissions close 19 September, and winners will be announced at the school assembly on 21 September 2022.
Community News
VacSwim swimming lessons
Enrolments are now open for VacSwim swimming lessons during the October school holidays.
VacSwim offers fun lessons pool locations across WA. Not only is VacSwim a great school holiday activity, it also teaches valuable safety skills to help keep your child safe in the water.
Your children can start as young as five years old.
Places are limited, so get in early. Enrol your children in VacSwim now at:
Youthcare Family Christmas Festival
We are very pleased and excited to announce that our YouthCARE Together 22 – Family Christmas Festival will be held on Saturday, 17th December 2022, 3pm – 9pm at the Claremont Showgrounds – and we’d like you to be a part of it.
YouthCARE Together 22 is a Family Christmas Festival celebrating our school communities at Christmas time. It is an opportunity to connect and celebrate the festivities of Christmas while enjoying activities, amusement rides, live music, carolling, resource sharing and so much more with the local community. The day will be full of fun for the whole family including a coffee lounge for the adults to enjoy while the kids play and participate in the many and varied activities.
If you would like to help make the day a brilliant success, here are some ways you can participate:
- Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. We will be promoting the event through our social media platforms and would ask that you please share with your networks and connections.
- Join the facebook group for this event, this will allow for you to also share and invite people.
- Let us know if you have any contacts (business, sports, church) that might like to:
(a) sponsor the event
(b) volunteer on the day
(c) make an appearance (i.e. a great band, or sporting team!)
- Help out on the day! We are aiming for 5,000 attendees and so we are looking for volunteers to help in the running of the day. We have created a link you can either use yourself or send to a friend who might be interested in volunteering. You will still be able to bring your families and have a fun day if you are volunteering but you will not need to pay for your ticket (you will need to purchase tickets for family members attending)
Quick links to our event can be found at https://www.youthcare.org.au/upcoming-events/ .
You may have more questions about this event. If so, please can you direct all questions and queries to robyn.waddingham@youthcare.org.au
We are so excited about this event and we can’t wait for you to be a part of what will be an incredible day for not only us but all those attending.
Let’s celebrate Together.
Blessings,
Tamsyn Cullingford
CEO, YouthCARE