Newsletter 8th February 2023

Principal's Message

Welcome Back!  It was lovely to see everyone start school last week.  It was nice not to have to start the year with COVID management.  However, please be aware that COVID is still around Kensington so please take the usual precautions and do not send students to school with any cold/flu like symptoms.

Staffing Updates

We neglected to mention why Mrs Sharon Mignacca had been absent in Term 4 last year and for all of this year.  She has taken leave to travel and enjoy some exciting family events (wedding etc).  We are currently working through recruiting a replacement and we are very grateful for the help of Mrs Di Mondy who has interrupted her retirement to help us out while this process is run.

Over the break, Mrs Naomi Johns, who taught in P1 last year, has obtained a full-time job at another school so Miss Mary Adam will take her place on Fridays in P3, with Miss Jemma Marris as the full-time teacher. Mrs Emma Williams, who has taken up a full time position this year (she taught in K3 at Vista Street last year) will tandem with Mrs Serrina Deas who will work on Fridays in P1, for Semester 1.

We plan to introduce you to our new staff over the next few newsletters.  The newsletter is published fortnightly on even weeks (Weeks 2, 4, 6, 8 & 10) each term.

For the first five weeks of term Mrs Filmer with some additional support from Mr Griffiths, Mr Powers, Mrs Stanford and Mrs Williams, is taking on the Deputy Principal position vacated by Mrs Backhouse. This allows us time to recruit a new deputy for 2023.  More information will follow once the selection process has been completed.  We welcome back Mrs Bushen during this period, who is covering for these teachers while they are in the office.

Vale

Over the school holidays, Mrs Lyn Both, who retired from our school at the end of 2020, passed away.  This is very sad news for her many friends at Kensington Primary School.  We have sent our condolences to her family.

Sadly, we have also just learnt that Mrs Janelle Batstone, a volunteer at our school for the past few years, died suddenly over the holidays.  She had been working with Mrs Dewing assisting with the school band.  We send our condolences to her family.  She will be sorely missed.

Communicating with Staff

Please be aware that any urgent communications should go through the office as teachers do not access their emails and See Saw while they are teaching.  We ask our staff to acknowledge emails within 5 days (they usually do this much earlier but some staff are not full-time) and to respond to the issues within 14 days.  They usually do so much earlier too.  During holiday periods you will need to allow much longer as they are not required to be able to access their emails during this period.  Thank you for your patience and consideration.

See Saw

SeeSaw is the classroom communication app that we use.  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 previously). Do not download the ‘class’ app.  Just download the ‘family’ if you haven’t already.

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 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 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. 

Voluntary Contributions

We are now in a position to accept voluntary contributions for 2023.  Thank you for your patience.  If you have not already paid these contributions via the online booklist order, you may do so at the front office.

Term Planner

We no longer produce a one-page Term Planner document.  Instead you can find out 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.

Classes

We welcome all new and returning students and staff.  The class structures are as follows.  We will introduce you to the new teachers this week and the other new staff in the next newsletter.

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.

Trading Cards

We acknowledge that trading cards such as Pokemon are quite popular.  While we have no issue with trading cards per se, if they cause issues (arguments, fights, bullying or harassment) then we will ban their use on the school site.  Please discuss these issues with your child if this is an area of interest for them so that they are prepared for these possible issues and can manage them positively.  Please let your child’s teacher know if there is an issue but be aware that this is not something we wish to be involved in so the ramifications are that the cards will be banned for a period.  If you are concerned about this, please do not allow your child to bring them to school.

Mobile Devices

Please note that the school has a Mobile Devices policy as part of our Positive Behaviour Plan.  This policy states that children should not use personal mobile devices during school hours.  This includes smart watches.  Students who use their smart watches inappropriately (including being distracted by looking at things on them) will run the risk of having them confiscated and given a yellow behaviour slip.

Upcoming Events

*FREE*

PROTECTIVE BEHAVIOURS WORKSHOP for Parents and Carers

At Kensington PS, we believe that all children have the right to feel safe at all times, but we also know as parents, carers and teachers we cannot be with each child every minute of the day. 

The physical and emotional impact of bullying, cyber bullying, child abuse and domestic violence is now much better understood.  Research consistently shows that teaching children preventive ways of staying safe, such as those described in the protective behaviours program, is an effective way of strengthening children’s ability to recognise danger, seek help and minimise risk.

Kensington PS is committed to teaching every child the protective behaviours program in partnership with you. Parents and carers play a vital role in helping children develop personal safety and resilience skills and it’s very important children hear the same messages at school and home.  Working together, we can help our children to recognise unsafe situations and be proactive and confident in their response.

By attending this workshop, you will: 

• learn the key principles of the protective behaviours program
• understand the positive impact of the protective behaviours program for children
• discuss how the protective behaviours program is being taught at school and
• practise activities and ways to speak with your child at home about personal safety that aligns with what they have learnt at school.

DATE:                   Thursday 23^rd February 2023                

TIME:                    5:00 – 7:00pm          

VENUE:                  Kensington Primary School Music Room

PRESENTER:        Justine O’Malley

TO REGISTER:       Please  click on the School Events Calendar on SZapp, then find and click on this event.  Scroll down through the information and find a Book Tickets button.

Please note: Because of the content of this workshop it is not suitable for children to attend.  Thank you.

Stationery Donations

If you have found some school stationery items from last year that you don’t need any more, then we have a box outside the staffroom where you can place those supplies, which we will then send off to a charity (Starting Over Support) next year, for families who are experiencing domestic crisis and who now lack the resources for their children to start school with their school supplies (pencils, rulers, erasers, sharpeners etc) ready.  Any donations would be gratefully accepted.

NAPLAN

Year 3 and Year 5 students will be participating in NAPLAN testing this term.  Parents of students in those year levels should have received a brochure providing information on NAPLAN. In future newsletters we will publish a timetable of the testing so parents know when tests will be conducted.  There will also be catch-up testing for students that miss a test session.

If you wish to withdraw your child from the testing, please speak to your child’s teacher or Mrs Di Filmer.

Honours and Values awards

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.

Faction Swimming Carnival

The carnival is on Thursday 2nd March. All Year 5 to 6 students will attend with some invited Year 4 students who have passed Stage 5. Permission notes, payment and the program will be via Consent2Go. Nominations for events will be competed in PE lessons. Students who have passed Stage 5 will participate in swimming events, Year 5s and 6s who have not passed Stage 5 will participate in events in the inside pool. Selections for the inter school carnival will be made from the faction carnival. The inter school carnival will be on Tuesday 4th April.

Parent Help Wanted

We are looking for a parent volunteer who has a Bronze Medallion and is willing to help out at the Faction Swimming Carnival in the pool.  Please contact the office or Mrs Stanford if you are willing to help out.

Sporting Schools

We have been successful in gaining Sporting Schools funding this term. Some students will be involved in volleyball sessions and later in the term tennis sessions.

Running Club

Running Club will NOT commence until Term 2.

Lost Property

Several towels and a swimming bag were left at the school after swimming lessons last year, please see Mrs Stanford in the PE office in the UCA if they are yours.

A bike and several scooters that were left at school last year. If they are not claimed, they will be donated to a charity.

Library News

Japanese News

Japanese Exchange – Hosts Wanted

We have some Japanese students visiting WA and our school March 26 until April 1st.  Are you interested and willing to host a student for a week at your home?  It is a great cultural exchange opportunity.  See the attached flyer for more details. If you are willing and able to host a student, please send in your expression of interest to our Japanese Language teacher, Margo Whittle (Whittle sensei) via email to  Margo.Whittle1@education.wa.edu.au

School Board

SCHOOL BOARD

The school board consists of a balanced mix of teachers, parents, and community members. Parent and community members provide an integral link between the school’s academic and administrative staff and the community, informing the decision making and direction of the school.  We have several parent-representative positions vacant for 2023, so I encourage you to consider nominating. The positive influence that the parent community has on the school, through sharing their experiences, knowledge and desires for the parent community to ensure informed decisions are made in the best interests of the students, is inestimable. In setting and monitoring the business plan for the school, it is a great way to learn about how the school operates, its challenges and its successes. If you would like to get involved in continuing the positive development of the school and share your, and your fellow parents’, experiences to guide the school, I encourage you to consider nominating for the school board.

If you are interested in finding out more, please consider speaking with the principal, or any of our current board members.  A list of current board members can be found on the school website. 

Our School Board – NOMINATIONS OPEN

The School Board will be meeting twice a term - on the third and ninth Wednesday of each term at 5:30pm.  Simon Keen 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 nomination form linked below and return it to the school by Thursday 24th February.  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

Movie Under the Stars - Save the Date!

The year 6s and  the Kensington Primary P&C are excited to confirm that the Movie Under the stars on the school oval will be screened Friday 17^th March!

Booking information will be out in the next week or so, so please keep an eye out for more details.

DUCKs 2023 Dads catch-up, 7pm Thursday 9 March 2023

Riding high after a very successful 2022 of Dads and Kids events, fundraising barbecues and supporting the important job of fathering, DUCKs is keen to get back into things. We hope that you have all had an enjoyable time over summer and found time for quality father and child time in your families. 

Save the Date:

7pm Thursday 9 March 2023 we plan to have a Dads catch-up locally, venue TBA.

The purpose of the event will be for KPS Dads and to meet and greet other Dads and father-figures of kids at the school, and make a plan about the activities that we want to do for the year. The night will be half social, as busy dads it is often not always easy to get to know other dads and make connections. We want a supportive environment for Dads and father-figures. Also, please bring your ideas about what activities you would like to see this year.

Please email DUCKS.KPS@gmail.com to be added to the DUCKs group.

We particularly encourage new Dads and Families from Kindergarten and Pre-primary to get in touch, although all families from Kindy to Year 6 are welcome. Please forward this invitation to other dads at the school.

Please RSVP for the Dads Catch-up:

HERE

Thanks,

Conrad Slee and Justin Nicholls - DUCKs

Dads United for the Children of Kensington (primary school)

Containers for Change

We have a wheely bin and 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

Before School Soccer is Back in Term 1 on Mondays 3.10pm to 4.10pm with Pro Football Training

We are delighted to welcome Pro Football Training once again and encourage all children from Kindy to Year 6 to attend!

The sessions are a wonderful opportunity for your child to stay healthy, positive, and learn in a fun environment.

Dates: Mondays, 6^th February to 27^th March

Times: 3.10pm to 4.10pm

The cost is $129 per child for the 7-week program.

Children will be placed into their own year groups.

To register simply call/text (0407 084 589) or email (info@profootballtraining.com.au)

Marshalls Tennis Academy Tennis Coaching at School Term 1

The school coaching at Kensington Primary School will start Monday 6^th of February. Please follow the link below to enrol.

Kensington Primary School enrolment link